An ethnic minority army that is part of formidable rebel alliance fighting Myanmar's ruling military has announced its willingness to hold talks with the junta after a year-long battle along the Myanmar-China border.
An ethnic minority army that is part of formidable rebel alliance fighting Myanmar's ruling military has announced its willingness to hold talks with the junta after a year-long battle along the Myanmar-China border.
The Ta'ang National Liberation Army's (TNLA) decision, announced late on Monday, comes as powerful neighbour China puts pressure on rebels amid the rapid degeneration of the military, which Beijing has long seen as a guarantor of stability.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military ousted an elected government led by democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, sparking a resistance movement that began as peaceful protests and later evolved into an armed rebellion on multiple fronts.
The TNLA in a statement on its official Telegram channel said it wanted a halt to the military's air strikes in its region of northern Shan state and expressed its desire for talks and its appreciation for China's mediation effort.
"Our civilians are suffering from air strikes and other difficulties. So, we need to find a way out," TNLA spokesperson Lway Yay Oo said.
The TNLA is part of a coordinated offensive launched last year called "Operation 1027," named after its start date, which has become the biggest challenge to Myanmar's generals since their coup, resulting in their loss of several towns and military posts.
The other two groups in the alliance, the Arakan Army and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The rebel alliance had previously reached a ceasefire in January with Myanmar's military during China-mediated talks, but the deal collapsed in June and fighting resumed.
A spokesperson for Myanmar's junta did not answer calls from Reuters. China's embassy in Yangon did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the TNLA's statement.
Myanmar's parallel administration, the National Unity Government (NUG), said Beijing must consider the desires of Myanmar's people when getting involved in the country's crisis.
"I want to encourage China not to conduct meetings which go against the will of Myanmar people as they will not be helpful to the country's peace," said its spokesperson Kyaw Zaw.
On Sunday, the Netherlands' Economy Minister, Vincent Karremans, stated that he expects to meet with a Chinese government official in the coming days ...
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is set to meet "global leaders and top Korean executives" during his attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO S...
A large fire at the import cargo complex of Dhaka airport has caused significant damage to goods and materials belonging to key garment exporters, wit...
The Orenburg gas processing plant, the world's largest facility of its kind, has been forced to halt its intake of gas from Kazakhstan following a Ukr...
Israel launched air strikes and artillery fire on Gaza on Sunday, in what officials called a response to militant attacks, as the U.S.-mediated ceasef...
China on Monday sentenced 16 individuals linked to gangs operating from northern Myanmar to death for their roles in telecom fraud and other serious crimes.
Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing will travel to China to attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, state media reported on Thursday, ahead of the country’s first election in almost five years-a vote backed by Beijing.
Myanmar will hold the initial phase of its general election on 28 December, marking the first polls in nearly five years. The election, already criticised as a sham by opponents, will be held in phases over December and January for security reasons, with subsequent dates to be announced later.
Myanmar's President under the junta, Myint Swe has died a year after going on medical leave, the state broadcaster MRTV said on Thursday. The 74-year-old former general became the country's leader during a 2021 coup against an elected civilian government and immediately handed power to the military.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is set to meet "global leaders and top Korean executives" during his attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in South Korea this month, the U.S. AI chipmaker announced on Sunday.
A large fire at the import cargo complex of Dhaka airport has caused significant damage to goods and materials belonging to key garment exporters, with losses and impacts on trade potentially amounting to millions of dollars, according to industry leaders on Sunday.
The Orenburg gas processing plant, the world's largest facility of its kind, has been forced to halt its intake of gas from Kazakhstan following a Ukrainian drone strike, according to Kazakhstan's energy ministry.
The Louvre Museum in Paris was closed on Sunday after thieves broke in and stole “priceless” jewellery from the Napoleon collection, the French government said.
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy said he is not afraid of going to prison, days before beginning a five-year sentence over his 2007 campaign financing case linked to Libya.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment