Myanmar's former ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party has sacked 17 senior members.

The former acting party chairman U Shwe Mannn is one of those removed from his post. He is currently leading an advisory review commission to the new Union Parliament led by the National League for Democracy.

The move follows the USDP's major leadership reshuffle last August, when it retained former President U Thein Sein as chairman ahead of the general election. But it still lost the election to the NLD led by Aung San Suu Kyi.