At least 13 people, including nine police officers and four soldiers, were killed when unknown assailants attacked troops near Maungdaw township in Rakhine State of Myanmar. The incident took place on October 9, state-run The Global New Light of Myanmar reported. Several attackers were killed and four of them were captured alive by army personnel when they retaliated.

A government delegation arrived in the state on Tuesday to inform civilians about the situation. The mission, led by Union Information Minister Pe Myint, also met the state leadership and took stock of the security situation in the region.

Myint said, “Generally, it can be assumed that such an occasional instability was attributed to subversive efforts of destructive elements.” Local investigators said around 300 armed men launched the attack on the troops while they were conducting an area clearance campaign. The security forces are conducting searches in the neighbouring villages to capture the attackers. No militant group has claimed responsibility for the attacks so far.