Rohingya refugee children carry an old woman in a sling near Balukhali makeshift refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, September 13, 2017. (Reuters Photo) Rohingya refugee children carry an old woman in a sling near Balukhali makeshift refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, September 13, 2017. (Reuters Photo)

Coming out in support of Myanmar’s ethnic minority Rohingyas, the al-Qaeda issued a statement urging Muslims across the world to support their fellow Muslims with “military support”, reported news agency Reuters. The statement added that the Myanmar government will face “punishment” for its “crimes”. Nearly 400,000 Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh from violence-hit Myanmar.

“We call upon all mujahid brothers in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines to set out for Burma to help their Muslim brothers, and to make the necessary preparations — training and the like – to resist this oppression,” the group said, as reported by Reuters.

The unrest in Myanmar intensified this August, after Rohingya militants allegedly conducted a series of coordinated attacks on police and army posts, forcing the state to retaliate. The Myanmar government, which said its forces are engaged in a campaign against “terrorists”, had warned of bomb attacks in cities.

Read | Explained: Why no country wants Rohingya, why it’s so difficult to deport them

“The savage treatment meted out to our Muslim brothers…shall not pass without punishment,” the Islamist outfit was quoted as saying by Reuters. “The government of Myanmar shall be made to taste what our Muslim brothers have tasted.”

Suu Kyi to skip UN General Assembly

Myanmar’s national leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s spokesperson on Wednesday confirmed that she will not attend the upcoming UN General Assembly session in New York. The Nobel laureate is under pressure from world leaders to end the unrest. She’s also been criticised for remaining silent over the issue and failing to end the violence.

“The state counsellor won’t attend the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly,” her spokesperson Aung Shin said. “She’s never afraid of facing criticism or confronting problems. Perhaps she’s got more pressing matters here to deal with,” she added.

Read | Opinion: Embrace the Rohingya

Rohingya refugees wait for the food to be distributed by local organisations near Balukhali makeshift refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, September 13, 2017. (Reuters Photo) Rohingya refugees wait for the food to be distributed by local organisations near Balukhali makeshift refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, September 13, 2017. (Reuters Photo)

India, the UN

A day after the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said he “deplored” India’s plans to deport Rohingya refugees, the Indian envoy in Geneva on Tuesday said New Delhi is “confirmed” about “illegal migrants.”

Permanent Representative of India to UN in Geneva Rajiv K Chander said: “We are perplexed at some of the observations made by the High Commissioner in his oral update. There appears to be inadequate appreciation of the freedoms and rights that are guaranteed and practised daily in a vibrant democracy that has been built under challenging conditions. Tendentious judgments made on the basis of selective and even inaccurate reports do not further the understanding of human rights in any society.”

“Like many other nations, India is concerned about illegal migrants, in particular, with the possibility that they could pose security challenges. Enforcing the laws should not be mistaken for lack of compassion,” he said. Read more here.

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina meets Rohingya Muslims at Kutupalong refugee camp, near the border town of Ukhia, Bangladesh, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (AP Photo) Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina meets Rohingya Muslims at Kutupalong refugee camp, near the border town of Ukhia, Bangladesh, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (AP Photo)

Bangladesh PM visits Rohingya camp

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited the Kutupalong refugee camp on Tuesday. She said her country would do its best to help the fleeing Rohingyas, but said Myanmar should “take their nationals back” as soon as possible. Left “speechless” by the crisis, she added, “We will not tolerate injustice (against Rohingays).”

(With inputs from agencies)

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App.

© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd