Rebels announce withdrawal from two Myanmar towns

The rebel group, the Taung National Liberation Army (TNLA), has signed a ceasefire agreement with the junta government in northern Myanmar to end months of intense fighting. Under the agreement, it has announced the withdrawal of its members from two towns.

Al Jazeera reported.

The TNLA said on Tuesday that the agreement was reached after days of talks brokered by China in Kunming, about 400 kilometers (248 miles) from the Myanmar border.

The TNLA said it would withdraw from the northern Mandalay town of Mogao, known for its ruby ​​mines, and the northern Shan state town of Momeik, the TNLA said. It did not give a specific date for the withdrawal.

Under the agreement, both sides will stop advancing from next Wednesday. The TNLA said the junta has agreed to halt airstrikes. There has been no official comment from the group on the matter.

The TNLA is part of Myanmar’s Three Brotherhood Alliance. The other members of the alliance are the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army and the Arakan Army. The groups have long demanded greater autonomy from the government. They are also involved in the Democratic Resistance Movement, which formed after the ouster of the elected government in February 2021.

Since October 2023, the alliance has seized key areas of northeastern and western Myanmar. The TNLA has captured 12 cities alone. However, their progress has slowed due to a Chinese-brokered agreement earlier this year, allowing the army to retake major cities.

China is acting as a central mediating force in Myanmar’s civil war, because it has major geopolitical and economic interests there. This year, the Chinese government has been more openly supporting Myanmar’s military government.

Myanmar is due to hold national elections in December. The military government is trying to strengthen its position around the elections.

However, there are concerns that voting will be disrupted in many constituencies still under rebel control. International observers see the election as a ploy to legitimize the military government.