Over 100 dead as communal violence rocks Myanmar

SITTWE: At least 112 people have been killed and thousands of homes torched in Buddhist-Muslim violence in western Myanmar, casting a shadow over the reformist government's attempts to remake the country's international image.

People have fled their homes in droves following the latest clashes in Rakhine state, which was rocked by communal violence in June that split communities and left tens of thousands of mainly Muslim Rohingya living in camps.

"Up until this morning, 51 men and 61 women have died," a spokesman for Rakhine state Win Myaing said, doubling an earlier toll.

The dead were from both sides, he added, while scores more were wounded as violence engulfed four townships.

More than 200 people have now been killed in the state since June, according to the authorities, who have imposed emergency rule in the face of continued explosive tension in the region.

The United Nations responded to the bloodshed Friday with a stark warning that Myanmar's reforms are under threat from the continued unrest between ethnic Rakhine and the Rohingya.

"The vigilante attacks, targeted threats and extremist rhetoric must be stopped," a spokesman for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement released in Yangon.

"If this is not done... the reform and opening up process being currently pursued by the government is likely to be jeopardised."

The latest violence prompted Myanmar's main Islamic organisations to cancel celebrations for the four-day Eid al-Adha holiday that began on Friday.

Washington joined the United Nations to swiftly condemn the violence, with US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland urging both sides "to exercise restraint and immediately halt all attacks".