Myanmar confirms nearly 309,000 Rohingya in Bangladesh, says security issues delaying repatriation


FILE PHOTO: Rohingya refugees gather to mark the second anniversary of the exodus at the Kutupalong camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, August 25, 2019. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman/File Photo

(Corrects lede to 'military-backed government', ⁠not 'military government')

Aug 17 (Reuters) - Myanmar's military-backed government has verified that ⁠nearly 309,000 displaced people in camps in Bangladesh are ‌former residents of the troubled Rakhine State, but repatriation will proceed only after security in Rakhine improves, the foreign ministry said.

Following are the latest developments in ​the repatriation of Rohingya residents to ⁠Myanmar:

• Myanmar has verified 308,797 ⁠displaced people in Bangladesh as former Rakhine residents out of 828,824 ⁠names ‌submitted as of July 31, 2026, the foreign ministry said in a statement over the weekend.

• According ⁠to the United Nations, more than 700,000 Rohingya fled ​to neighbouring ‌Bangladesh in 2017 after a crackdown by Myanmar security forces, ⁠and many ​more are still leaving via uncertain sea and land journeys.

• Myanmar says it has identified 4,241 people on Bangladesh's repatriation list it allegedwere ⁠involved in terrorist activities, while a ​further113,507 could not be verified.

• Myanmar says repatriation will begin only when security conditions in Rakhine State become more stable.

• Myanmar's military ⁠is fighting the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group based in Rakhine that has sought greater autonomy for the region.

• Myanmar says repatriation is strictly a bilateral matter with Bangladesh.

• Myanmar says ​previous repatriation arrangements in 2018 and 2019 ⁠resulted in no returnees despite bilateral preparations.

• Myanmar agreed to ​take back 5,000 Rohingya asylum seekers from ‌Malaysia, but Malaysia said the repatriation ​would not proceed if lives were at risk.

(Reporting by Reuters Staff; Editing by David Stanway and Kate Mayberry)

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