February 17, 2017
The Tatmadaw has halted clearance operations in Arakan state, a senior official said on Wednesday.
AFP quoted the official as saying the Tatmadaw is leaving the area which henceforth will be under the control of the Hlun Htein.
“The situation in northern Rakhine has now stabilised,” newly appointed National Security Advisor Thaung Tun was quoted as saying in a statement.
“The clearance operations undertaken by the military have ceased, the curfew has been eased and there remains only a police presence to maintain the peace.”
Our correspondents have however said although curfew hours have been reduced, this is just a formality as most Rohingyas don’t dare to stay out after 5pm. The curfew now starts at 9pm instead of 7pm.
As regards army deployment, our correspondents say the atrocities that reached a peak during mid November last year has been scaled down gradually since December. There has however been no noticeable changes in army deployment over the past few days.
More than a thousand Rohingyas, including women and children are believed to have been killed since hostilities started in October.
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