Rohingya fleeing Myanmar violence stranded on Bangladesh border

BEGGING FOR RESTRAINT

Observers worry that the attacks will spark an even more aggressive army response than last year and trigger communal clashes between Muslims and Buddhist ethnic Rakhines.

"25 Aug attack in N Rakine utmost concern! Violence must stop in Rakhine. Heartfelt sorrow 4 deaths. Beg all sides 2 take restraint! Everyone!" said Yanghee Lee, the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar on Twitter.

In a statement late on Friday, Suu Kyi "strongly condemned" "brutal attacks by terrorists on security forces in Rakhine State."

"I would like to commend the members of the police and security forces who have acted with great courage in the face of many challenges," she added.

The government evacuated officials from the home ministry, teachers as well as hundreds of non-Rohingya villagers to army bases and main police stations, the government said.

"The government made six evacuation checkpoints. Some will be evacuated by helicopters and some will be taken out by the security forces," a military source based in Rakhine told Reuters.

The source said the army and police were battling the militants, who staged at least one fresh attack on security forces and destroyed a bridge on Saturday morning.

"They are fighting now, the situation will be tense again today, although there was no fighting at night," said the source.