YANGON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar government has released 8,490 domestic prisoners serving terms in prisons across the country under an unconditional presidential amnesty order, said official Global New Light of Myanmar on Wednesday.

Tuesday's amnesty was granted as a gesture to mark the fall of Myanmar new calendar year and on ground of humanity.

Among the 336 prisoners freed from Yangon's Insein Prison were ex-members of the police and the armed forces, drug traffickers and eight political prisoners.

Other prisoners who received the amnesty were from Thaton, Myeik, Dawei and Sittway prisons respectively.

On the same day, 51 foreign prisoners were also pardoned and deported on the occasion in view of relations with the foreign countries, according to the amnesty order.

It was the first amnesty announcement after new President U Win Myint assumed office on March 30.