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YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar is committing crimes against humanity in its campaign against Muslim insurgents in Rakhine state, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday, calling for the U.N. Security Council to impose sanctions and an arms embargo.

The U.N. refugee agency called for a redoubling of international aid for the 480,000 refugees — 60 percent of them children — who have fled to Bangladesh since Aug. 25 to escape the violence.

A Myanmar government spokesman rejected the accusation of crimes against humanity, saying there was no evidence.

The U.S. government, which has worked hard to establish close ties with Myanmar’s civilian government in the face of competition from strategic rival China, did not comment directly on the Human Rights Watch charge.

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