13 more die in fresh Myanmar violence

Yangon, Aug 11 (IANS) At least 13 people have died in Myanmar in fresh sectarian violence, an official said Saturday.

The violence erupted five days ago in the Kyauktaw township of Rakhine state, Xinhua reported. Over 300 houses and a rice mill were destroyed in arson.

About 3,000 people were affected.

Kyauktaw is about 120 km from the state capital Sittway.

The clashes broke out between ethnic Rakhinese and Bengali speaking Muslims.

Authorities had imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Kyauktaw Wednesday, bringing to seventhe total number of areas placed under curfew in the state.

The state has already been under a state of emergency since June 10.

The riots first broke out in Rakhine in June, when some 90 people were killed and 100 others were injured.