Boris Johnson urges Aung San Suu Kyi to help Myanmar's Rohingya refugees

Boris Johnson has urged Burmese authorities to carry out a full investigation into violence against Rohingya refugees.

The Foreign Secretary met with Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Sunday where he called on her to help thousands of displaced Rohingya return to their homes in Rakhine State.

On Saturday Mr Johnson visited refugee families in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, where many have fled to from alleged state persecution.

There he heard "first hand" stories of persecution that many have suffered in recent months.

More than 620,000 Rohingya are thought to have fled to Bangladesh following persecution from the Burmese military.

The violence, which began in August, has reportedly left at least 6,700 people dead, an estimated 730 of who have been children under the age of five.

The Foreign Secretary stopped in Myanmar as part of a four-day trip to Asia, which will also include a visit to Thailand.

He had been expected to raise the plight of the Rohingya with 72-year-old Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been criticised for her lack of decisive action.

Following his meeting he tweeted: "Held talks with Aung San Suu Kyi. Discussed importance of Burmese authorities in carrying out full and independent investigation into the violence in Rakhine and urgent need to create the right conditions for Rohingya refugees to return to their homes."

Previously Mr Johnson has described the suffering of the Rohingya as "one of the most shocking humanitarian disasters of our time".

He has labelled the violence and displacement as a "man-made tragedy" which could be resolved "with the right political will".

Earlier this week ITV News was shown evidence of another ethnic minority, the Shan, being persecuted in the north of Myanmar.