UPDATE 3 - Curfew imposed after 17 die in raids on Myanmar police

UPDATES THROUGHOUT WITH CURFEW AND RISING DEATH TOLL

By Kyaw Ye Lynn

YANGON, Myanmar (AA) – Authorities have imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in areas close to Myanmar's border with Bangladesh after armed men raided police station outposts, officials said Sunday.

At least nine policemen and eight militants died after attackers armed with rifles, knives and explosives stormed three Border Guard Police Force stations in western Rakhine State's Maungdaw and Yathay Taung Townships at around 3.a.m (2130GMT Saturday).

The curfew (7 p.m. to 6 a.m.) was imposed in areas where a partial curfew (11 p.m. to 4 a.m.) already existed following the communal violence that broke out in the area mid-2012 between Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims.

Late Sunday, Information Minister Phay Myint told a press conference in political capital Nay Pyi Taw that the situation had been brought under control by the evening.

“One police officer remains missing,” he said.

The government has said that police are holding two militants captured alive, while 51 weapons were stolen from police station arsenals during the raids.

Police Chief Zaw Win told the press conference that they are yet to confirm which group is responsible for the attacks.

“We are not sure if the attackers are from the RSO, but they shouted the word 'Rohingya' during the raids,” he said, referring to the Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) -- a shadowy outfit that takes its name from the Muslim minority group, which has been described by the United Nations as one of the world's most persecuted.

“We are still questioning the two armed men we caught alive,” he added.

Although most analysts believe the RSO's existence is a myth, the government has classified it as a terrorist group and officials blame it for recent attacks on border areas.