One person was shot dead by Myanmar troops in a confrontation with Muslim villagers in the violence-hit western state of Rakhine, a government official said Tuesday.

The incident happened on Monday in an area home to a large population of Rohingya Muslims, who are considered by Myanmar officials as illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and often referred to as Bengalis.

"About 20 Bengalis tried to attack soldiers. A person was wounded when soldiers fired warning shots," said the official, who did not want to be named, adding that the person died on the way to hospital.

The circumstances of the incident were unclear, but local government spokesman Win Myaing said a confrontation occurred when forest department officials tried to visit the area for an inspection.

Buddhist-Muslim clashes have left at least 180 people dead in Rakhine since June. More than 110,000 people, mostly Rohingya, have been displaced and thousands have fled by boat overseas, mostly heading for Malaysia.

In August New York-based Human Rights Watch accused Myanmar security forces of opening fire on Rohingya with live ammunition.

Myanmar denies citizenship to its roughly 800,000 Rohingya, who are described by the UN as among the most persecuted minority groups in the world.