The girl was shot on March 27 at her home near a UN World Food Programme warehouse in the state capital, Sittwe, that was targeted by rioters, Lieutenant Colonel Min Aung told AFP by telephone.

"She was hit when security forces fired warning shots to disperse people at the WFP warehouse," he said. "The situation in Sittwe is calm now after a curfew was imposed."

He said nobody else was hurt in the incident.

The unrest began late on March 26 when hundreds of Buddhists massed around the offices of Germany-based medical aid group Malteser International in Sittwe, accusing an American aid worker of handling a religious flag in a disrespectful manner.

Humanitarian workers in Rakhine have come under increasing pressure from Buddhist nationalists who accuse them of giving preferential treatment to Muslims.

More than 70 aid workers, including about 30 foreigners, were given police protection after the violence.

The offices of the UN refugee agency were among those attacked, state media reported.

The UN's acting resident and humanitarian coordinator in Myanmar,ToilyKurbanov, said he was "deeply concerned" by the violence, adding that the organisation was "determined" to continue operating in the region.

The US embassy in Yangon issued a statement condemning the "mob violence" and confirmed that at least three of its citizens were among the aid workers given "emergency relocation".

Long-standing animosity between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine erupted into bloodshed in 2012, leaving scores dead in clashes and around 140,000 people displaced.

Buddhist flags have been hung throughout Sittwe as part of protests against Muslims in the run-up to a nationwide census that many fear could further inflame the situation in Rakhine.