UN council members urge halt to Myanmar-Arakan Army fighting

Ethnic Chin people hold placards during a protest asking for an end to conflict in Chin state and Rakhin State in Yangon on July 13, 2019. Around 1,000 Chin people have been displaced as fighting continues between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA) in the area between Chin State and Rakhine State. - AFP

UNITED NATIONS/YANGON, Sept 13 (AP): A majority of UN Security Council members called for an immediate halt to fighting between Myanmar government forces and the Arakan Army guerrilla force following a closed council meeting on the latest situation in the South-East Asian nation.

A joint statement from eight of the 15 council nations said the clashes in western Rakhine and Chin states are taking "a heavy toll” on local communities and risk escalating, and stressed that a halt to fighting is "even more urgent in light of the increased number of Covid-19 cases in Rakhine State.”