Myanmar rebel army ready for talks with junta, backed by China

An ethnic minority army that is part of a formidable rebel alliance fighting Myanmar’s ruling military has announced its willingness to hold talks with the junta after a yearlong battle along the Myanmar-China border.

The Ta’ang National Liberation Army’s (TNLA) decision, announced late on Monday, comes as powerful neighbor 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, setting off a resistance movement that began as peaceful protests and later evolved into an armed rebellion on multiple fronts.

In a statement on its official Telegram channel, the TNLA said it wanted a halt to the military’s airstrikes 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 airstrikes and other difficulties. So, we need to find a way out,” TNLA spokesperson Lway Yay Oo said.

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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.

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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.

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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, 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.