Rohingya insurgent group declares temporary ceasefire

After more than two weeks of violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state, the insurgent group Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, or ARSA, declared in a statement Saturday a "temporary cessation of offensive military operations" for a one-month period to enable aid groups to respond to the "humanitarian crisis" that is currently unfolding in Myanmar's Rakhine state.

کد خبر: ۷۲۸۷۶۲

تاریخ: ۱۹ شهريور ۱۳۹۶ - ۰۹:۰۱

The ceasefire would begin on Sunday, the statement said.

At least 290,000 ethnic Rohingyas have fled to neighboring Bangladesh since August 25 after escaping violence in Rakhine, Vivian Tan, the UNHCR regional press officer, said Saturday.

Yanghee Lee, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights for Myanmar, said Friday that at least 1,000 people had been killed in the violence over the past two weeks, though she said that figure is "very likely an underestimate."

"Figures are difficult to verify because of lack of access to the affected areas," she said.

The Myanmar government said 421 people had died.

The Rohingya are considered to be among the world's most persecuted people. The predominantly Buddhist Myanmar considers them Bangladeshi but Bangladesh says they're Burmese.

The government of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, blames terrorists for starting the recent violence.

Rohingya militants killed 12 security officers in border post attacks almost two weeks ago, according to state media.

In response, the military intensified "clearance operations," driving thousands of people from their homes.

Satellite photos released by Human Rights Watch show entire villages torched to the ground in clashes between Myanmar's armed forces and local militants.

In northern Rakhine state there are reports of at least another 30,000 Rohingyas trapped in hilly terrain without basic supplies of food, water or medicine, according to activists.