UN chief Antonio Guterres called Wednesday on Myanmar to halt its military campaign against Rohingyas in Rakhine state, acknowledging that the Muslim minority was facing ethnic cleansing.

"I call on the Myanmar authorities to suspend military activities and violence and uphold the rule of law," he said in a press conference.

After describing reports of security forces attacking civilians as "completely unacceptable," Guterres was asked if he agreed that the Rohingya population was being ethnically cleansed.

"When one third of the Rohingya population has got to flee the country, can you find a better word to describe it?" he replied