Military burned villages in Rakhine state: HRW

New satellite images and eyewitness accounts indicate involvement of Myanmar army in burning Rohingya Muslim villages, according to Human Rights Watch.

Since October 9, 2016, at least 1,500 buildings have been destroyed, driving thousands of ethnic Rohingya from their homes, the rights body issued a press note on its website from New York today.

Military and government officials should immediately allow humanitarian agencies, the media, and human rights monitors access to all of Rakhine State's Maungdaw Township, the HRW urges in its release.

The Myanmar government has repeatedly denied using arson as a tactic, instead accusing militants of setting fire to Rohingya villages, it said.

"The new findings refute the Myanmar military and government's claims that Rohingya militants were responsible for burning down their own villages," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

"The satellite imagery and eyewitness interviews clearly point the finger at the military for setting these buildings ablaze," he said.

The new satellite imagery analysis of villages in Maungdaw Township reveals four new elements. First, the total number of destroyed buildings identified by HRW has climbed to 1,500 as of November 23.

The full number is probably higher as tree cover may have concealed some destroyed buildings, it said.