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| Southeast Asia |
| At Least 18,500 Rohingya Flee to Bangladesh as Rakhine Unrest Rages |
| 2017-08-31 |
| [AnNahr] At least 18,500 Rohingya have crossed into Bangladesh since fighting erupted in Myanmar's neighboring Rakhine state six days ago, the International Organization for Migration said Wednesday. Plumes of smoke billowed from several burning villages in the worst-hit section of the state, according to an AFP news hound on a government-led trip to the area, as the violence showed little sign of abating despite security sweeps by Myanmar's police and troops. The streets of Maungdaw -- northern Rakhine's largest town -- were virtually deserted as fires flickered among charred remains of houses and the occasional burst of gunfire echoed in the distance. The festivities began on Friday after gunnies from Myanmar's Rohingya Moslem minority community staged deadly surprise raids on police posts. At least 110 people, including 11 state officials, have been confirmed dead and thousands of Rohingya have poured across the border to Bangladesh despite Dhaka's attempts to stop them. "As of last night, 18,500 people have come across," Chris Lom, the IOM's Asia-Pacific front man, told AFP, adding an unknown number were still stuck on the Myanmar side of the border. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |