Myanmar army to launch 'crackdown' on Rakhine rebels

Naypyidaw, Myanmar: Myanmar has called on its military to "launch operations" against ethnic Rakhine rebels behind a deadly attack on four police stations last week, a government spokesman said on Monday, as a surge of violence grips the restive western state.

"The president's office has already instructed the Tatmadaw (the army) to launch operations to crack down on the insurgents," Zaw Htay told reporters at a press conference in the capital, Naypyidaw.