Burma-Myanmar: Military extends ceasefire in Kachin and Shan states for 2 months
The Myanmar military on Tuesday extended its unilateral ceasefire in five regional commands in Kachin and Shan states for two months on Tuesday, with restive Rakhine State remaining exempt from the truce.
The Office of the Commander-in-Chief announced the extension on the last day of its original four-month truce, which started on Dec. 21. The decision came hours after peace talks ended for the day between the government and the four-member Northern Alliance comprising the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Ta’ang Nationalities Liberation Army (TNLA), Arakan Army (AA) and Kokang’s Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) in Muse, northern Shan State on Tuesday.
Military spokesperson Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun said the truce had been extended as peace negotiations with the four non-signatories of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) are ongoing, and the outcome of Tuesday’s talks in Muse had been positive. He added that it would help the military achieve its goal of achieving peace by 2020.