DHAKA: The United States on Monday voiced alarm over rare clashes between the Myanmar military and insurgents in Rakhine state believed to have caused hundreds of civilians to flee their homes.

Unrest between the military and Arakan Army (AA) - a group that hails from Rakhine but has previously focused on fighting in Myanmar’s conflict-riddled north - has flared in recent days, raising fears that it could complicate the country's delicate nationwide peace process.

The US embassy in Yangon said it was ‘concerned by reports that hundreds of Rakhine civilians have been displaced by recent fighting’ in Rakhine’s Kyauktaw township.

‘We urge all parties to cease hostilities, and ensure the protection of civilians and timely delivery of all necessary humanitarian assistance to the affected population in accordance with international standards,’ the embassy said in a statement, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 1857 HRS, APR 27, 2015
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