Malaysia, Bangladesh among regional partners sending peace mission to Myanmar
Bangladesh shelters more than 1 million Rohingya refugees in camps in its southeastern district of Cox's Bazar, the world's largest refugee settlement.
Anwar's comments came at the start of a three-day visit by Bangladesh's interim head, Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, to Malaysia.
'To secure peace in Myanmar is of course a great priority, along with immediate humanitarian assistance for the suffering first, the refugees and also the victims of earthquakes,' Anwar told a joint press briefing with Yunus.
Malaysia's foreign minister will coordinate the Myanmar mission, set for the coming weeks, along with counterparts from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, added Anwar, who is chair of the ASEAN regional grouping this year.
'We are concerned with the burden placed on Bangladesh on having to cater for enormous numbers of Rohingya refugees.'
Escalating conflict and targeted violence against the Rohingya, a mostly Muslim minority in mainly Buddhist Myanmar's western Rakhine state, have forced about 150,000 to flee to Bangladesh in the past 18 months, the United Nations said.
Malaysia and Bangladesh signed five pacts during Yunus's visit, covering defense cooperation and collaboration in supply and infrastructure of liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, and related facilities.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Zelensky warns Trump that Putin is 'bluffing'
KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that he warned US President Donald Trump ahead of his talks with Vladimir Putin this week that the Russian leader is 'bluffing' about his desire to end the war. Trump and Putin will meet in Alaska on Friday, where Kyiv and its allies are worried the two leaders may try to dictate the terms of peace in the 3-1/2-year war. 'I told the US president and all our European colleagues that Putin is bluffing,' he said at a joint briefing in Berlin with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. 'He is trying to apply pressure before the meeting in Alaska along all parts of the Ukrainian front. Russia is trying to show that it can occupy all of Ukraine.' Zelensky's comments, made after a virtual call with Trump and European leaders, come as Russian forces step up pressure on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine, aiming to force Kyiv to give up land. Zelensky, who said he hoped the main topic of the talks in Alaska would be an immediate ceasefire, added that any discussions regarding territory should be covered during a three-leader meeting. 'Regarding our principles and territorial integrity, in the end this is all decided at the level of leaders,' he said. 'Without Ukraine, it is impossible to decide this. And, by the way, everyone also supports this.' Zelensky said Trump told him he would debrief him about his talks with Putin.
Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Zelenskyy says he warned Trump that Putin is ‘bluffing'
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that he warned US President Donald Trump ahead of his talks with Vladimir Putin this week that the Russian leader is 'bluffing' about his desire to end the war. Trump and Putin will meet in Alaska on Friday, where Kyiv and its allies are worried the two leaders may try to dictate the terms of peace in the 3-1/2-year war. 'I told the US president and all our European colleagues that Putin is bluffing,' he said at a joint briefing in Berlin with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. 'He is trying to apply pressure before the meeting in Alaska along all parts of the Ukrainian front. Russia is trying to show that it can occupy all of Ukraine.' Zelenskyy's comments, made after a virtual call with Trump and European leaders, come as Russian forces step up pressure on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine, aiming to force Kyiv to give up land. Zelenskyy, who said he hoped the main topic of the talks in Alaska would be an immediate ceasefire, added that any discussions regarding territory should be covered during a three-leader meeting. 'Regarding our principles and territorial integrity, in the end this is all decided at the level of leaders,' he said. 'Without Ukraine, it is impossible to decide this. And, by the way, everyone also supports this.' Zelenskyy said Trump told him he would debrief him about his talks with Putin.
Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Israel says it killed 5 armed militants posing as US charity personnel
Israel's military has said it killed five armed militants in the Gaza Strip pretending to work for the US-based World Central Kitchen charity which condemned anyone posing as humanitarian personnel The military said it confirmed the five were not affiliated with the charity before killing them in an air strike last week while wearing WCK garb and posing a threat to Israeli troops. 'The terrorists deliberately affixed the emblem and wore yellow vests in an attempt to conceal their activity and avoid being targeted, cynically exploiting the status and trust afforded to aid organizations,' it said. WCK said late on Tuesday that it was contacted by Israeli authorities and confirmed the vehicle and people were not linked. 'We strongly condemn anyone posing as WCK or other humanitarians as this endangers civilians and aid workers,' it said in a statement on X. In December, WCK fired dozens of Palestinians working for the charity in Gaza, employees told Reuters at the time, after Israel said at least 62 staff were linked to militants. Israel's military did not give any identities of those killed in last week's incident. The WCK did not give more details or say whether the people targeted had been previously affiliated with the organization. An Israeli strike in April of last year hit a convoy of three vehicles and killed seven staff of WCK, including foreign aid workers. Israel apologized for what it said was a mistake. Aid organizations are struggling to meet the needs of Gaza's more than 2 million population after nearly two years of war have devastated the Palestinian enclave, killing tens of thousands of people and causing widespread hunger. Israel has often said Hamas militants infiltrate aid groups, while humanitarian organizations have urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to ease aid restrictions.
