Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar clashes face sickness, expulsion despite UN appeal

REUTERS, 29th AUGUST, 2017- Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh from fighting in Myanmar face the growing danger of sickness and attempts by the Bangladesh authorities to send them home despite a U.N. appeal that they be allowed to stay.

A series of coordinated attacks by Rohingya insurgents on Myanmar security forces on Friday, in the north of Myanmar’s Rakhine State, has triggered a crackdown by Myanmar forces that has sent a stream of Rohingya villagers fleeing to Bangladesh. It also sparked a mass evacuation of thousands of Buddhist residents of the area. At least 109 people have been killed in the clashes in Myanmar, most of them militants but including members of the security forces and civilians.