Anti-Muslim mobs destroy mosques, burn homes in central Myanmar

Anti-Muslim mobs have stormed a town in central Myanmar, destroying mosques and dozens of houses amid escalating violence against Rohingya Muslims in the country, local sources say.

According to a witness, a group of 20 armed Buddhist ransacked a mosque in the central city of Tatkone, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Meiktila, hurling stones at the building and smashing its windows on Sunday night.

The source said soldiers fired shots to drive away the armed assailants, who also burned dozens of houses across the city.

In a similar move earlier on Sunday, extremist Buddhists attacked dozens of houses and mosques, killing at least 32 people in the town of Meiktila.

On the same day, Vijay Nambiar, the special advisor to the United Nations secretary general on Myanmar, toured Meiktila, and called on the government to punish those responsible for the tragedy.

Hundreds of Rohingyas are believed to have been killed and thousands displaced in attacks by Buddhist extremists.

Buddhist extremists frequently attack Rohingyas and have set fire to their homes in several villages in Rakhine. Myanmar army forces allegedly provided the extremist Buddhists containers of petrol for torching the houses of Muslim villagers, who are then forced to flee.

Myanmar’s government has been accused of failing to protect the Muslim minority.

Rohingyas, who migrated to Myanmar as early as the 8th century, are said to be Muslim descendants of Persian, Turkish, Bengali, and Pathan origin.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have issued separate statements, calling on Myanmar to take action to protect the Rohingya Muslim population against extremist Buddhists.