BANGKOK — Several hundred Buddhist nationalists, including monks, rallied in Burma’s largest city Wednesday to urge stronger action against insurgents from the Muslim Rohingya minority for attacks on police last week.
The attacks in Rakhine state in western Burma have spiraled into frequent violence, with more than 100 dead and many villages torched.
At least 18,000 Rohingya have fled the violence and crossed into Bangladesh in less than a week, with hundreds stranded in a no man’s land at the countries’ border, the International Organization for Migration said Wednesday.
The army, responding to last Thursday’s attacks, began what it called clearance operations against the insurgents, but advocates for the Rohingya said soldiers are attacking and burning Rohingya villages, shooting civilians and causing others to flee.
The government blames Rohingya insurgents and their sympathizers for the continuing violence. Government figures put the death toll since last week at a minimum of 103, including 12 members of security forces, 77 people described as insurgents and 14 civilians.