Of the total 330 townships, 198 are "100 percent stable," said Min Aung Hlaing, while the remaining 132 require varying degrees of "security attention."

"Although there is no protest at this moment, violence is still there," he said according to state broadcaster MRTV.

"Terrorists are terrorising, disturbing, killing and destroying" and hampering plans to hold elections, he said.

Following its putsch the military has clashed with established ethnic rebel groups as well as dozens of "People's Defence Forces" that have sprung up to fight back against the coup.

Analysts say some anti-junta groups have surprised the military with their effectiveness.