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

The Ta’ang National Liberation Army says it volition propulsion retired of the ruby-mining municipality of Mogok and adjacent Momeik.

An equipped rebel radical successful Myanmar says it has reached a truce with the military-run authorities to halt months of dense clashes successful the country’s north.

The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) announced connected Tuesday that it had signed an statement with Myanmar’s authorities pursuing respective days of China-mediated talks successful Kunming, astir 400km (248 miles) from the Myanmar border.

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Under the deal, the TNLA said it would retreat from Mogok, the ruby-mining centre successful the precocious Mandalay region, and the neighbouring municipality of Momeik successful bluish portion of Shan state, though it did not supply a timeline. Both rebel forces and authorities troops volition “stop advancing” starting Wednesday, it added.

The radical besides said the military, which has not yet commented connected the agreement, has agreed to halt aerial strikes.

The TNLA is portion of the Three Brotherhood Alliance, which besides includes the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Arakan Army. They person been warring for decades for greater autonomy from Myanmar’s cardinal authorities and are loosely allied with the pro-democracy absorption groups that emerged aft the service deposed the elected authorities and seized power successful February 2021.

Since October 2023, the confederation has captured and controlled important swaths of northeastern Myanmar and occidental Myanmar. The TNLA unsocial seized 12 towns successful an offensive.

Their beforehand slowed pursuing a bid of China-brokered ceasefires earlier this year, allowing the service to retake large cities, including Lashio metropolis successful April and Nawnghkio successful July, arsenic good arsenic Kyaukme and Hsipaw successful October.

China is simply a cardinal powerfulness broker successful the civilian warfare successful Myanmar, wherever it has large geopolitical and economical interests.

Beijing has much openly backed the subject authorities this twelvemonth arsenic it battles to enactment up territory earlier an election slated for December, which it hopes volition stabilise and assistance legitimise its rule.

However, the polls are expected to beryllium blocked successful ample rebel-held areas, and galore planetary observers person dismissed them arsenic a maneuver to disguise continuing subject rule.

Members of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party stitchery during the archetypal time of predetermination campaigning astatine their Yangon portion enactment headquarters, October 28, successful Yangon, Myanmar [Thein Zaw/AP]