Women, children among 116 starving Rohingya refugees rescued by Indonesian fishermen

“Residents provided assistance as they appeared very weak from hunger and dehydration,” he said, though many locals opposed their long-term stay, AP reported.

From February to October, 230 refugees landed in East Aceh district, with 173 reportedly leaving shelters independently.

Nearly 1 million Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim minority, live as refugees in Bangladesh after fleeing persecution in Myanmar. Among them are about 740,000 who escaped a brutal military crackdown in 2017, during which Myanmar’s security forces were accused of mass rapes and killings.

Facing widespread discrimination, most Rohingya are denied citizenship in Myanmar.

Indonesia has called on the international community for support, citing a surge in Rohingya refugees leaving overcrowded camps in Bangladesh over the past year.