Rohingya militants claim attack against Myanmar’s army

A Rohingya Muslim militant group said it has “no other option” but to defend its community, claiming responsibility for a Friday attack on Myanmar security forces. The attack is the latest large-scale assault since the August offensive that resulted in a deadly backlash against the minority Rohingya Muslims. Myanmar’s army reported about 10 Rohingya Muslims from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) injured two officers and a driver Friday after they ambushed a car with handmade mines and gunfire. The poorly armed militant group on Sunday claimed responsibility for the attack on its Twitter account. “ARSA has no other option but to combat ‘Burmese state-sponsored terrorism’ against the Rohingya population for the purpose of defending, salvaging, and protecting the Rohingya community,” the group said in its statement. ARSA also called on the government to consult the Rohingya people on all decisions affecting their humanitarian and political future. ARSA on Aug. 25 staged attacks on Myanmar security forces in Rakhine state. Soldiers responded with widespread operations the United Nations has called ethnic cleansing. More than 650,000 Rohingya Muslims fled Myanmar, also known as Burma, into neighboring Bangladesh.