Myanmar: 71 killed in attacks by Muslim militants on police and border guards

The government of Myanmar announced on Friday, August 25, that 71 people were killed in midnight attacks by militants associated with the Muslim minority 'Rohingya' on several police and border posts in the country. According to the Associated Press, these attacks mark a significant turning point in the armed conflicts in Myanmar. The office of Aung San Suu Kyi, the government advisor of Myanmar, stated that 30 police posts were targeted during these attacks. The assaults resulted in 12 deaths and 11 injuries among government forces, with three of the injured reported to be in critical condition. The statement adds that the attackers, armed with machetes, seized several firearms, destroyed refugee camps, and set houses on fire. Ms. Suu Kyi's office reported that military and border police forces responded to these attacks with 'cleansing operations.' An eyewitness in the village of Mangdaw told the Associated Press that soldiers entered their village at 10 AM on Friday, burning houses and property, and shooting at least 10 people dead. The witness, who requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation, added that villagers fled in all directions, with most escaping towards a nearby mountain. According to him, the sounds of gunfire and explosions were audible, and smoke from the fires could be seen. The Associated Press reported that a group called the 'Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army' claimed responsibility for the midnight attacks on over 25 locations, stating that these actions were taken in defense of the Rohingya Muslim community, which is subjected to oppression by government forces. This is the worst conflict since last October when militants attacked three border posts and killed nine police officers. Since then, Myanmar's security forces have conducted violent operations against the Rohingya community in Rakhine State. Human rights groups have accused the military of widespread human rights violations, including killings, rapes, and the burning of over a thousand homes and buildings. The actions of the Myanmar military have fueled further anger against the government. The Myanmar government labels the Rohingya minority as illegal immigrants who entered the country from Bangladesh and denies them any citizenship rights. The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army has intensified recruitment among Muslims due to these conditions. It appears that the new operations of this militant group may usher in a new round of repression and resistance. The Rohingya Muslim community has long faced severe discrimination from this predominantly Buddhist country and was targeted in internal violence in 2012, which left hundreds dead. That year, 140,000 people were displaced from their homes and forced to live in internal camps, where they remain. According to the United Nations, over 80,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to neighboring Bangladesh since last October. The attacks by these militants occurred just hours after the Rakhine Advisory Commission, led by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, released its final report, recommending that the Myanmar government must immediately act to improve economic conditions and social justice in Rakhine State to resolve the violence between Buddhists and the Rohingya Muslim minority.