Myanmar rebels to withdraw from two towns under new China-brokered truce

Myanmar’s military-run government claims to have reached a truce with its northern neighbor to end months of frequent clashes.

Following several days of China-mediated discussions in Kunming, which is located about 400 kilometers (248 miles) from the Myanmar border, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) announced on Tuesday that it had reached an agreement with Myanmar’s government.

The TNLA announced on the signing of the agreement that it would leave Mogok, the ruby-mining site in the upper Mandalay region, and Momeik, a neighboring town in the northern part of Shan state, without setting out a date. Beginning on Wednesday, the rebels and government troops will “stop advancing,” the statement added.

The military, which hasn’t yet made any comments on the agreement, agreed to stop air strikes, according to the group.

The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Arakan Army are also included in the Three Brotherhood Alliance. They have waged decades-long battles for greater autonomy from Myanmar’s central government, and they are loosely associated with the pro-democracy resistance organizations that came after the army removed the elected government from power and seized power in February 2021.

The alliance has seized and ruled significant portions of northeastern and western Myanmar since October 2023. In a single offensive, the TNLA seized 12 towns.

Following a number of China-brokered ceasefires earlier this year, which allowed the army to retake major cities like Lashio and Nawnghkio in April and Kyaukme and Hsipaw in October, their advance slowed.

In Myanmar, where it has significant geopolitical and economic interests, China is the primary player in the civil war.

Beijing has publicly supported the military administration this year as it fights to reestablish its hold on territory ahead of a December election that it hopes will stabilise and help legitimize its rule.

However, large rebel-held areas are expected to be obstructed, and many international observers have criticized them as a way to hide the military’s continued rule.