The Myanmar army, Tatmadaw, has said they have withdrawn some troops from Rakhine state after claiming that peace and stability have been restored in the aftermath of the post August 25 military crackdown. The operations in the area were necessary because “the rule of law and community peace and tranquillity” were disrupted, the statement added. The military crackdown by the Myanmar army has resulted in severe criticism from the international community over serious human rights violation, with the UN even labelling the operations as “ethnic cleansing”. On October 23, the US State Department had announced withdrawal of military assistance to Myanmar military, on the ground that it used disproportionate force in counter-terrorism operations. It also said it was considering imposing economic sanctions against Myanmar if humanitarian situation in Rakhine state does not improve.

Source: Dhaka Tribune October 27, 2017 09:00 UTC