YANGON, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Thirty-five more detainees, suspected of linking with an ethnic insurgent group, the Arakan Army (AA), have been freed after they were found not in connection with the group, said a release of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services late Wednesday.
The release of the 35 suspects on Wednesday, following the 174 freed two days earlier, has brought the total released to 209 out of 275 detained.
They were put in custody at a school in Kyauktan village, Yathedaung township of western Rakhine state for interrogation by the military and the police.
Of the remaining suspects, four confessed to being members of the AA, and they have been transferred to Sittway, the capital of Rakhine state for further legal action, the military office said.
At the end of April, Myanmar military found and defused more landmines planted by AA near Kyauktaw township on Kyauktaw-Mrauk U road as the security forces conducted search in its security operation.
Using small and heavy arms, the AA launched repeated attacks on a military headquarters and a security gate in Mrauk U township from within Baungdote village in the township on April 27, prompting the security forces to return fire and leaving one AA member dead.
Meanwhile, Myanmar military announced on April 30 extending the suspension period of all its military action against armed groups in five military command areas for another two months until June 30.
