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Myanmar: The perilous journey of Rohingya refugees

Recent upsurge in violence has forced about 270,000 Rohingya to cross into Bangladesh, according to UN estimates.

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Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence.
Rohingya refugees walk on the muddy path after crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Teknaf, Bangladesh. [Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters]
Published On 8 Sep 2017

The number of Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh in the last two weeks to escape the violence in Myanmar has shot up to about 270,000, a spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said.

Vivian Tan said the number had jumped from an estimate of 164,000 on Thursday because the agency had found new pockets of refugees in border areas.

A UN official told AFP news agency on Friday that more than 1,000 people may already have been killed in Myanmar, mostly minority Rohingya Muslims. 

“This [the refugee figures] 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,” said Tan.

“The numbers are so alarming. It really means we have to step up our response and that the situation in Myanmar has to be addressed urgently.” 

Al Jazeera has been unable to independently verify the figures.

Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence.
Rohingya refugees stand in an open place during heavy rain, as they are held by Border Guard Bangladesh after illegally crossing the border, in Teknaf, Bangladesh. [Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters]
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Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence.
An exhausted Rohingya helps an elderly family member and a child as they arrive at Kutupalong refugee camp after crossing from Myanmar to the Bangladesh side of the border, in Ukhia. The man said he lost several family members in Myanmar. [Bernat Armangue/AP Photo]
Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence.
A Rohingya family reaches the Bangladesh border after crossing a creek of the Naf river on the border with Myanmar, in Cox's Bazar's Teknaf area. [Bernat Armangue/AP Photo]
Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence.
Rohingya refugees sit as they are temporarily held by the Border Guard Bangladesh in an open area after crossing the border. [Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters]
Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence.
A Rohingya child is carried in a sling while his family walk through rice fields after crossing the border into Bangladesh. Tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, fleeing the latest round of violence to engulf their homes in Myanmar, have been walking for days or handing over their meagre savings to Burmese and Bangladeshi smugglers to escape what they describe as certain death. [Bernat Armangue/AP Photo]
Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence.
Rohingya refugees walk to the shore with their belongings after crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border by boat through the Bay of Bengal. [Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters]
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A Rohingya woman with a baby in her arms cries after crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.
The journey has been tough and emotional for the estimated 270,000 that have crossed over into Bangladesh since August 25. [Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters]
Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence.
Refugees walk to the nearest village after crossing the Bangladesh-Myanmar border by boat through the Bay of Bengal in Teknaf, Bangladesh. Tens of thousands more people have crossed by boat and on foot into Bangladesh in the last few days as they flee violence in western Myanmar. [Mohammad Ponir Hossain /Reuters]
Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence.
Rohingya, who have just crossed over to Bangladesh from Myanmar, cook a meal near Cox's Bazar's Gundum area. [Bernat Armangue/AP Photo]