The United Nations called on the Myanmar government today to allow rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access to the restive Rakhine state.

The Rakhine State government issued a notice last week blocking non-governmental organizations and U.N. agencies from traveling to rural areas in five townships of the state affected by the conflict.

According to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, fighting in Rakhine state has forced about 5,000 people to flee from their homes since early January.