The army general in charge of the Rakhine state in Myanmar where 600,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled has been replaced.

Myanmar's army gave no reason as it moved Major General Maung Maung Soe from his role as head of Western Commands in Rakhine.

Major General Aye Lwin said: "I don't know the reason why he was transferred.

"He wasn't moved into any position at present, he has been put in reserve."

He is replaced by Brigadier General Soe Tint Naing.

About 600,000 Rohingya Muslims have been driven into Bangladesh as they flee an army operation in their homeland.

The government of Myanmar claims the group is illegal immigrants and has left them stateless by refusing to give them citizenship.

A wave of refugees began fleeing the country in late August after Myanmar's response to an attack by Rohingya militants on more than 20 police posts, which left 12 officers dead.

Amnesty International said security forces then went on to carry out a "targeted campaign of widespread and systematic murder, rape and burning".

The government now claims 400 people, mostly terrorists, have died but the United Nations puts the estimate closer to 1,000.

There was once more than one million Rohingya people living in Myanmar, mostly in the Rakhine state, but Bangladesh has received 600,000 refugees in what is becoming a humanitarian crisis.

Hundreds of thousands have been left trapped on beaches after fleeing the operation, with scores killed by attacks, landmines or by drowning.

Myanmar's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has so far failed to speak against the army operation.

BDST: 2120 HRS, NOV 13, 2017
AP