Story highlights The violence in Rakhine state started Friday with attacks on three border posts

The state is home to many Rohingyas, a persecuted minority in Myanmar

(CNN) The United Nations has called for "maximum restraint" after a spate of violent attacks in Myanmar's restive Rakhine State.

More than a dozen soldiers and police have been killed since Friday, state media reported, with troops in the city of Maungtaw attacked by about 300 men armed with knives, pistols and swords.

"The Special Adviser calls on the civilian population of the area to exercise maximum restraint and not be provoked into any kind of response by targeting other communities or religious groups," Vijay Nambiar, the special adviser to the secretary-general on Myanmar, said in a statement Wednesday.

"The recent clashes have not only caused grievous deaths and injuries including to infants and children, but also displaced tens of thousands of people across the three states," the UN statement said.

The attackers were not identified by the Myanmar government, but the UN said "ethnic armed organizations" had clashed with the country's security forces.

Who are the Rohingya? The Rohingya are a stateless Muslim minority in Myanmar's Rakhine state thought to number between 800,000 and one million.

Myanmar does not recognize them as citizens or one of the 135 recognized ethnic groups living in the country.

Much of this is rooted in their heritage in East Bengal, now called Bangladesh.

Though many Rohingya have only known life in Myanmar, they are widely viewed as intruders from across the border.

According to Human Rights Watch, laws discriminate against the Rohingya, infringing on their freedom of movement, education, and employment.

They are denied land and property rights and ownership, and land on which they live can be taken away at any given time.

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