MADRID Jan. 11 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The United Nations (UN) has shown this Friday its “deep” concern at the increase in civilian casualties in the Burmese state of Rakhine, after more than 40 civilians, including several children, died this Wednesday in a new attack carried out by the Burma Army against positions of the Arakan Army (AA) rebels on the island of Ramree, in this state in the west of the country.
“Fighting in Rakhine has intensified recently, with civilians paying the highest price of the conflict. Civilians face extreme risks, acute food insecurity and a near-total collapse of essential public services,” lamented the Humanitarian Coordinator. of the UN in the country, Marcoluigi Corsi, in a statement in which he assured that, in addition, around 500 homes have been destroyed.
Thus, Corsi has urged “all parties” involved in the conflict to comply with “their obligations under International Humanitarian Law”, as well as to ensure “the protection of civilians and civilian objects, humanitarian workers and supplies” and to ensure “unhindered humanitarian access to deliver aid to the most vulnerable.
Local residents warned, after this Wednesday’s attack, of the serious danger that the people injured in the incident were in given the shortage of medicines in the region. Ramree Island is under rebel control and, since early 2024, has been the target of attacks by the military junta that has ruled the country since the coup d’état in February 2021.
Arakan Army attacks on Rakhine began in November last year and the rebels have since taken control of 14 of the area’s 17 townships, as well as Paletwa in the adjacent Chin state.
The coup d’état of February 1, 2021 was carried out by the Army to annul the results of the November 2020 general elections, in which Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) won the majority parliamentarian, arguing that there had been fraud, a claim questioned by international observers.
The riot was the beginning of a harsh campaign of repression against opponents, activists and protesters. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) estimates that more than 27,000 people have been detained since the coup d’état, of which 20,715 remain imprisoned. In addition, the AAPP estimates that 5,480 have died as a result of the violent action of the military forces since the riot.
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