Nine policemen were killed in the latest attack to hit Rakhine State, according to several media reports. The attacks took place on the evening of March 9 at Yoetayoke village, about an hour north of Sittwe. A Reuters report said the attacks were launched by the Arakan Army. AA has been involved in conflict with the Myanmar Army, called Tatmadaw, in Rakhine and Chin states in recent months. One of the attacks took place on Myanmar’s Independence Day. The report said that about 60 fighters from the AA attacked the village. A local resident is reported as saying that fighting lasted about 20 minutes. The military said in a separate statement that troops clashed with about 200 fighters from the AA on March 10. The said clash is in a different part of Rakhine State, close to the border with Bangladesh. Analysts say that the emergence of the AA threatens to bring further instability to the already troubled region.