13 Rebels Killed In Rakhine State

The Burmese army says it has killed 13 rebels during operations in the western Rakhine state, reports Reuters. 

Between Jan. 5 and Jan. 16, 13 rebels were killed in eight clashes, said Maj. Gen. Tun Tun Nyi.

There were also at least five land mine explosions, he said. 

Burmese soldiers also suffered casualties, though the general declined to provide figures. 

The Arakan Army rebel group said that five of the bodies recovered by the government did not belong to their fighters. 

Rakhine state is home to the Rohingya and the Rakhine ethnic groups, with the latter representing the majority. 

Since mid-December, the army has fought the Arakan Army, which claims to fight for the rights of the Rakhine. 

About 5,000 people have fled the area since the fighting began.