"The U.N.’s human rights expert on Myanmar has called for a new investigation into allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity during recent fighting in the Southeast Asian country as she approaches the end of her appointment. Yanghee Lee, whose formal title is special rapporteur, accused Myanmar’s military of “inflicting immense suffering” on ethnic minorities in Rakhine and Chin states, where the government is battling the Arakan Army, a well-armed and well-trained guerrilla force representing the Buddhist Rakhine minority. “While the world is occupied with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Myanmar military continues to escalate its assault in Rakhine state, targeting the civilian population,” Lee said in a statement issued Wednesday in Geneva. She accused the military of “systematically violating the most fundamental principles of international humanitarian law and human rights,” and said its conduct toward civilians “may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.” Lee, a South Korean whose term ends this month, has been a sharp critic of Myanmar’s military since her appointment in 2014, focusing especially on human rights abuses against the Muslim Rohingya minority in Rakhine state. Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month. In August 2017, the military — known as the Tatmadaw — launched what it called a clearance campaign in northern Rakhine state in response to attacks by a Rohingya insurgent group. The campaign forced more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh. Security forces were accused of mass rapes and killings and burning thousands of homes. The International Court of Justice in the Netherlands agreed last year to rule on charges of genocide lodged against Myanmar. U.N. agencies and human rights organizations have extensively documented atrocities. Myanmar’s government says it acted justifiably and denies any major abuses. Lee linked the current situation in Rakhine and Chin to the government’s actions against the Rohingya, for which no senior officers have faced justice and token punishments were given to a handful of low-ranking security personnel..."