Turkey condemns attacks in Myanmar’s Rakhine state

By Sibel Ugurlu

ANKARA

Turkey on Saturday condemned deadly attacks on border posts in western Myanmar's Rakhine state on Friday that left at least 89 people dead.

In a written statement, Turkish foreign ministry voiced concern over the attacks and said: "We condemn the attacks and emphasize that the problems in Rakhine state cannot be resolved through violence."

The statement said it was saddening that the attacks happened at a time the report of the Kofi Annan-led Rakhine Advisory Commission was released.

In a 63-page report presented to the government Wednesday, Annan’s commission called for an end to the restrictions on movement and citizenship for the 1.2 million Rohingya minority in Rakhine.

Friday's attacks on at least 30 posts on the Bangladesh frontier in Maungdaw district were claimed by a group called the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).

A soldier, 10 police officers, an immigration official and 77 militants were killed in the attacks and 15 people were wounded, the Office of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi said in a statement. Two militants were captured.

By Sibel Ugurlu

ANKARA

Turkey on Saturday condemned deadly attacks on border posts in western Myanmar's Rakhine state on Friday that left at least 89 people dead.

The statement said it was saddening that the attacks happened at a time the report of the Kofi Annan-led Rakhine Advisory Commission was released.

In a 63-page report presented to the government Wednesday, Annan’s commission called for an end to the restrictions on movement and citizenship for the 1.2 million Rohingya minority in Rakhine.

Friday's attacks on at least 30 posts on the Bangladesh frontier in Maungdaw district were claimed by a group called the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).