YANGON, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- At least 27 police and some civilians were seized on Saturday by an armed group in Myanmar's Rakhine state, an official from the Military True News Information Team told Xinhua.

A water vessel running from Sittwe to Buthidaung township was intercepted and the passengers including some police officers on board were seized by the Arakan Army (AA) in Rathedaung township around 10:30 a.m. local time, said Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, secretary of the Military True News Information Team.

"The police officers, who were seized, were the off-duty ones and they were just travelling to serve at the Border Guard Police Headquarters in Maungtaw township at the moment," the secretary told in a press conference on Saturday afternoon.

"Such kind of action can affect the safety of transportation in the area," he said, adding that the military would release further detailed information later.

Some passengers, including 19 fire department personnel and 12 civilians, were abducted by the AA from an express bus on Mrauk U-Sittwe road in Mrauk U township earlier this month.