Maungdaw: 80 local Muslims who are suspected of having connections to the militant Islamic Taliban have been arrested by Burmese border security force Nasaka in northwestern Maungdaw in Arakan State, Burma.

A source in Nasaka told Narinjara that a secret network of the militant group was revealed in the township after a senior member was arrested in the area by Nasaka forces.

The arrested man was identified as former VPDC chairman U Zaw Win, alias Kalu, from Kha Maung Seik Village in northern Maungdaw.

"On a secret tip, the Nasaka forces raided Kalu's residence on 4 March and found the seal and documents of his group, identified as the Islamic Taliban Organization. Nasaka arrested Kalu on the same day and consequently conducted a crackdown on his network. 80 people have so far been arrested and detained at Nasaka headquarters in Kyi Kan Pyin," said the source on condition of anonymity.

According to the source, a Taliban militant known as Moulivi Harun had given the group training in combat and bomb making deep in the jungles of northern Maungdaw on the Bangladesh border last February.

Harun has not yet been arrested and is believed to be hiding out in the jungles on the Bangladesh side of the border, said the source.

"Most of the arrestees are residents of Kha Maung Seik Village Tract, Kuen Thi Pin Village Group and Aung Tha Pyi Village. However, no weapons or ammunition was seized from them," added the source, who refused to give further details.

Nasaka has stepped up its security and is imposing a curfew in northern Maungdaw while still searching for alleged members of the group in the area.