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UN: 270,000 Rohingya Fled to Bangladesh in Two Weeks

by Associated Press

   COX'S BAZAR, BANGLADESH --

   The U.N. refugee agency is reporting a surge in the number of Rohingya
   Muslims who have crossed into Bangladesh from Myanmar, with an
   estimated 270,000 arriving in the last two weeks.
   The new number confirmed Friday by UNHCR spokeswoman Vivian Tan marks a
   major increase from the 164,000 estimated Thursday to have arrived
   since Aug. 25.

   "This does not necessarily reflect fresh arrivals within the past 24
   hours but that we have identified more people in different areas that
   we were not aware of before," she said.

   "The numbers are so alarming -- it really means that we have to step up
   our response and that the situation in Myanmar has to be addressed
   urgently," she said.
   The exodus began after Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts,
   prompting the military to respond with "clearance operations" to root
   out any fighters hiding in villages of Rakhine state.
   Journalists have reported seeing village homes burning as recently as
   Thursday in the region of Buddhist-majority Myanmar