Myanmar's leader blames 'fake news' after Muslims forced to flee country

Reuters/Mohammad Ponir Hossain

KUTUPALONG, Bangladesh (AP) — Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi is blaming fake news and a misinformation campaign for fueling a crisis that the U.N. says has now pushed more than 125,000 minority Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh.

According to a statement, Suu Kyi told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call that her government is defending "all the people" in western Rakhine state.

She told Erdogan that his deputy prime minister was a victim of fake news when he posted photos purportedly showing dead Rohingya that were not related to the crisis. The photos on Mehmet Simsek's Twitter account had been taken down.

She says such misinformation helps promote the interests of "terrorists," a reference to Rohingya insurgents whose attacks Aug. 25 triggered the latest military crackdown and streams of refugees.

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