Summary At least 10 people have been killed in riots in central Myanmar.
MEIKTILA (AFP) - At least 10 people have been killed in riots in central Myanmar, an MP said Thursday, prompting international concern at the country s worst communal unrest since a wave of Buddhist-Muslim clashes last year.
Huge plumes of black smoke were seen rising above the town of Meiktila after buildings were set ablaze in a second day of fighting in the previously peaceful area, where a night-time curfew was imposed.
Several mosques were reported to have been torched.
The United States said it was "deeply concerned" by the unrest, which according to police erupted on Wednesday after an argument in a Muslim-owned gold shop intensified and caused about 200 people to fight in the streets.
Win Htein, a member of the opposition National League for Democracy party, said he had seen bodies at the scene of fresh clashes Thursday.
"More than 10 people were killed," he told AFP from the town, which is his constituency seat.
The unrest comes at a time of heightened tensions between Muslims and Buddhists in Myanmar.
Communal conflict in a different region, the western state of Rakhine, left at least 180 people dead and more than 110,000 displaced last year, overshadowing international optimism about the country s widely praised political reforms since the end of military rule two years ago.
A senior US State Department official told AFP that its ambassador to Myanmar, Derek Mitchell, had raised concerns about the situation with top Myanmar government officials.
"The embassy is also in touch with community leaders. We will continue to encourage public efforts to call for calm and foster dialogue, tolerance and mutual respect," the official said, asking not to be named.
UN resident coordinator Ashok Nigam called for all parties involved "to exercise the utmost tolerance and restraint within their communities".
A local resident, who asked not to be named, said he had seen "many dead bodies", adding: "The situation is getting worse. The police cannot control the people."
An AFP photographer saw three burned bodies and houses on fire.
"We re scared. We keep the women and children at a safer building close to the police station," another local resident said.
Police said several mosques were destroyed and a Buddhist monk was among two killed on Wednesday, but they did not give an updated toll for Thursday.
The local hospital said it had attended to five dead and 25 wounded.
"Two died from burn injuries and the other three were killed because of wounds sustained from knives and sticks," a hospital official said, asking not to be named.
