India expressed its concerns over attacks in Myanmar’s Rakhine state on Saturday, PTI reported.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “India is seriously concerned by reports of renewed violence and attacks by terrorists in northern Rakhine State of Myanmar. We are deeply saddened at the loss of lives among members of the Myanmar security forces”. Kumar added that India extended its “strong support at this challenging moment” to the Myanmar government.

More than 80 people have died in attacks in Rakhine that started on Friday, while large numbers of Rohingya Muslims are trying to flee the country. Nearly 1,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees trying to leave the country were stopped by the Bangladeshi security officials at the border on Saturday.

Security forces in Myanmar also opened fire on civilians, mostly women and children, who were trying to leave the country, Al Jazeera reported. The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army claimed responsibility for Friday’s attacks.

Myanmar treats Rohingyas as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and does not acknowledge their rights as an official ethnic group. The community has been subjected to violence by the Buddhist majority and the Army in Myanmar. Hundreds have died starving on boats trying to flee the country, while many have settled in and around Jammu and Kashmir. Myanmar’s de-facto leader and Nobel Peace Prize-winning laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has been criticised for failing to stand up for more than 1 million stateless Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine.