Boat accident highlights Rohingya crisis as fighting escalates

As many as 26 Rohingya refugees drowned when their boat capsized while fleeing violence in Burma.

This latest disaster underscores the deepening crisis for the Rohingya.

The Muslim minority is trapped in the conflict between Burma’s military and the Arakan Army insurgents.

Witnesses reported that the boat, overcrowded with 30 passengers, sank in the Naf River en route to Bangladesh.

 Only four people survived, and rescue teams have recovered several bodies, including those of children and a pregnant woman.

Meanwhile, the situation in Rakhine state is dire with intense fighting between the military and the army, leading many Rohingya to escape in perilous conditions.

Human rights groups warn this new wave of violence could be even worse than the 2017 crisis, raising fears of a genocide.

Human rights advocates say the international community must act urgently to protect the Rohingya and address the escalating violence.

Burma’s Arakan Army draws its support from the largely Buddhist ethnic Rakhine community, the majority in the state.

The rebels are fighting Burma’s military for greater autonomy.

 Both the insurgent group and the Burmese military have been accused of killing Rohingya.