Myanmar-Bangladesh border fence construction work attacked by ethnic armed group

NAY PYI TAW, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar-Bangladesh border fence construction work in Buthidaung township, Myanmar's Rakhine state and Myanmar security forces stationed there have been attacked by ethnic armed group, the Arakan Army (AA), according to the Office of the Commander-in Chief of the Defense Services of Myanmar on Sunday.

The 200-strong AA launched the attack from the Bangladesh side separately on Saturday afternoon between the border posts BP-67 and BP-68.

Myanmar security forces warned of reacting with a military operation against the AA for the security of the area and for safeguarding the territory as well as for protecting the lives and properties of the local people.

The construction work of the Myanmar-Bangladesh border fence has been underway since 2010 under four phases to prevent illegal entry from the country's western gate and so far a distance of 129.15 miles(206.64 kilometers) of the fence far up to Fence No. 67 has been completed, the military headquarters said.

Meanwhile, AA also launched attacks on a village police outpost in Ponnagyun township, Myanmar's Rakhine state on Saturday night, killing nine policemen, mostly officers, and injuring two others. One went missing.

The attack on the Yo Ta Yoke village police outpost by small and heavy weapons came from three directions at 11:20 pm local time.

The AA took away some weapons of the security forces, an official of the Rakhine state police headquarters said.