Aung San Suu Kyi visits Myanmar district hit by ethnic violence
The Nobel Peace Prize winner faces international criticism for not condemning "ethnic cleansing" of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine.
Thursday 2 November 2017 09:26, UK
Aung San Suu Kyi has visited areas of Myanmar hit by ethnic violence for the first time since hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims began fleeing the country.
The Myanmar leader boarded a military helicopter at Sittwe, Rakhine state capital, and will travel to the border district of Maungdaw, which has seen the greatest exodus of people across the border into Bangladesh.
Ms Suu Kyi has faced strong international condemnation for her response to what UN officials have termed "ethnic cleansing" by the army in the region.
Spokesman Zaw Htay said: "She will go to Maungdaw, and I cannot give any more details."
More than 600,000 Rohingya have fled predominantly Buddhist Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh since a military counter-insurgency operation was launched when Rohingya militants attacked security posts in Rakhine state.
More than 4,000 people crossed the River Naf on Wednesday night, according to Bangladesh security official Major Mohammed Iqbal.
Refugees inside Bangladesh have claimed the Myanmar army torched villages, but the government has blamed Rohingya militants.
Ms Suu Kyi has recently focused government efforts on rehabilitation and pledged to repatriate refugees who can prove their were residents of Myanmar.
She had not previously visited Rakhine state since assuming power last year following a landslide election victory in 2015.
Myanmar has rejected the accusations of ethnic cleansing, saying its security forces were responding to militant attacks.