Thousands of panic-stricken civilians flee fighting in Myanmar's northwest

AFRAID OF SWORDS

In Myanmar, the U.N. and international aid agencies withdrew some staff from the area, after the government said it was investigating whether members of aid groups had been involved in an alleged siege by the insurgents of a village in August.

The state has provided security to aid workers, but "with this kind of situation, no one can fully guarantee safety," said Nyi Pu, chief minister of Rakhine state.

"If they want to stay, we will give security as best as we can. If they don't want to stay, due to their safety concerns, and want to leave, we told them that we will help them," he added.

The military reported several weekend clashes involving hundreds of Rohingya insurgents across northern Rakhine state.

"Extremist terrorists blew out improvised bombs, set fire to villages and attacked the police outposts in Maungtaw," the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar daily said on Monday, referring to a major regional town.

The government reported at least 104 deaths, the vast majority militants, plus 12 members of security forces and several civilians.

The government urged Rohingya civilians to cooperate with security forces, assuring those with without ties to the insurgents they would not be affected.

It has declared the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), which instigated the October attacks and claimed responsibility for the latest offensive, a terrorist organisation.

The government's allegations were baseless, the group said In a statement on Monday, seeking to present its cause as a defence of Rohingya rights.

North Rakhine state is populated mostly by Rohingya Muslims. Thousands of non-Muslim villagers were being evacuated to larger towns, monasteries and police stations, the government said. Many were arming themselves with knives and sticks for fear of insurgent attacks.

"We are afraid of swords because they attack people with swords," said Than Aye, a 65-year-old villager fleeing the township of Buthidaung for Sittwe, the state capital.

"That's why we are fleeing from there, as we are afraid of them. I haven't slept well at night."