YANGON

Some 50 police and their family members have been kidnapped by a rebel group in Myanmar’s conflict-torn Rakhine state, the country’s military said on Saturday.

Arakan Army, a predominantly Buddhist ethnic group, on Saturday stopped a passenger ship that was transporting police and their family members from the state capital Sittwe to Yathay Taung township.

“The group released civilian passengers, but abducted about 50 police officers and their family members,” military spokesperson Zaw Min Tun told reporters in a news briefing in Myanmar’s capital Nay Pyi Taw.

Citing an anonymous official in Rakhine regional government, Narinjara, a web portal, reported the Arakan Army kidnapped 27 police officers along with their family members.

Earlier this month, the Arakan Army had abducted 31 passengers -- including 19 personnel from Fire Department -- who were travelling in a bus in Mrauk-U township. However, they were released a few days later.