Azerbaijan sends 100 tons of aid to Rohingya Muslims

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AA) - Azerbaijan sent 100 tons of essential food items to Rohingya Muslim refugees in Bangladesh, who fled persecution in Myanmar, a state official said Friday.

Faik Tagizade, deputy minister of emergency situations, said that flour, sugar, oil, meat, pasta and milk powder had been dispatched to Bangladesh, on the orders of President Ilham Aliyev.

Rohingya, described by the UN as the world’s most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012.

Last October, following attacks on border posts in Rakhine’s Maungdaw district, Myanmar security forces launched a five-month crackdown in which, according to Rohingya groups, around 400 people were killed.

The UN documented mass gang rapes, killings -- including infants and young children -- brutal beatings and disappearances committed by security personnel.

In a report, UN investigators said the human rights violations constituted crimes against humanity.

Fresh violence erupted in Myanmar's Rakhine state nearly two weeks ago when security forces launched an operation against the Rohingya community.

Bangladesh, which already hosted around 400,000 Rohingya refugees, has faced a fresh influx of refugees since the security operation was launched.

On Friday, the UN said 270,000 Rohingya have sought refuge in Bangladesh.