UN chief urges restraint by Myanmar forces in Rakhine

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned of a looming humanitarian catastrophe in western Myanmar after the killing of nearly 400 people – mostly Rohingya Muslims – in the worst outbreak of violence in years.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned of a looming humanitarian catastrophe in western Myanmar after the killing of nearly 400 people – mostly Rohingya Muslims – in the worst outbreak of violence in years.

“The secretary-general is deeply concerned by the reports of excesses during the security operations conducted by Myanmar’s security forces in Rakhine State and urges restraint and calm to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe,” read a statement issued by his office on Friday.

The violence has sent tens of thousands of Rohingya fleeing across the border into Bangladesh, while scores of desperate people have drowned trying to cross a border river in makeshift boats.

Reports of massacres and the systematic torching of villages have raised fears that the violence in Rakhine is spinning out of control.