The International Criminal Court has opened a preliminary examination into Myanmar's alleged crimes against its Rohingya Muslim minority.

In a statement, ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said the move could pave the way to a full investigation into Myanmar's military crackdown that has seen thousands killed and over 700,000 displaced.

United Nations investigators have already declared Myanmar's army responsible for genocide against the Rohingya Muslim minority.

According to a four hundred and forty-four page probe report released by United Nations, an estimated ten thousand people were killed in the crackdown and that was likely a conservative figure.

The report urges the international community to investigate the military top brass for genocide, including Commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing.