Myanmar: Deadly fighting in Rakhine state August 28 /update 2

Event

Violence has worsened in the northwestern state of Rakhine as Myanmar security forces intensify their operations against Rohingya militants on Monday, August 28, after three days of fighting that killed at least 104 people. According to local sources, Myanmar security forces opened fires on civilians and burnt down houses over the weekend in an effort to crackdown on Rohingya militants they regard as terrorists. Meanwhile, the government has claimed it has evacuated villagers, schools, and some of its staff in certain areas.

Thousands of Rohingya Muslims fleeing the violence are attempting to cross the border into Bangladesh. According to Bangladeshi officials, some 3000 Rohingya attempted to cross the Naf river alone, which borders Bangladesh and Myanmar, on Saturday, August 26.

Context

Rakhine state is experiencing some of the worst violence since October 2016. The current military operation is in response to the series of coordinated armed attacks launched on 30 police posts and an army base on Friday, August 25, by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA). These came just one day after former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan warned Myanmar of the increasing threat of radicalization in Rakhine state - where a Muslim minority of some 400,000 people faces ongoing persecution by the Buddhist majority.

Tensions between majority Buddhists and minority Muslims have historically been high in Myanmar. Periodic outbreaks of violence have erupted, notably in October 2016, when the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, previously known as Harakah al-Yaqin, raided several border checkpoints at the Bangladeshi border, injuring a dozen Burmese soldiers. Retaliatory attacks took place in the following days as the military deployed troops to the area and imposed a curfew. In a bid to demonstrate its ability to handle the situation, the Burmese military carried out counterinsurgency operations for four months, ending in mid-February 2017.

Human rights groups accused the army of committing crimes against humanity, and possibly ethnic cleansing, during their crackdown operations, including rape, torture, the destruction of over 1000 homes, and the killing of an unknown number of civilians, possibly over 1000. This violent crackdown caused an estimated 70,000 Rohingyas to flee across the border to Bangladesh, while at least 20,000 were internally displaced. The UN has established a fact-finding mission to investigate crimes against humanity allegedly committed by the military during the counteroffensive.

Advice

Individuals present in Myanmar are advised to remain vigilant and to adhere by all instructions issued by authorities. Due to poor security conditions, some Western governments and Myanmar authorities advise their citizens against nonessential travel to Rakhine state - with the exception of the southern townships of Kyaukpyu, Ramree, Munaung, Toungup, Thandwe (including the tourist resort of Ngapali), and Gwa - and the Bangladeshi border.