Negotiations brokered by China have resulted in a ceasefire between the ruling military and a rebel coalition in northern Myanmar, according to several of the parties involved.
This follows a planned onslaught that lasted for several months and threatened to loosen the junta’s hold on power..
Since late October, the military, which deposed an elected government in 2021, has been fighting a coalition of ethnic minority troops attempting to overthrow its rule of their territories.
There has been particularly significant violence along the northern border with China.
According to the report, the joint offensive, backed by a parallel pro-democracy, civilian-led administration, has confronted the junta with the largest combat challenge since the coup, raising concerns in China about the prospect for border commerce problems and a refugee inflow.
China’s foreign ministry said on Friday that peace talks were held in the Chinese city of Kunming on January 10-11, where “the two sides agreed to immediately cease fire and stop the war.”
Both parties also pledged not to harm residents at the Chinese border, said foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning.
“China hopes that all parties concerned in Myanmar will earnestly implement the ceasefire agreement already reached and exercise maximum restraint,” she said.
Beijing had also said last month the parties had agreed on a temporary ceasefire and to maintain dialogue.
However, fighting continued in northern Shan State and other regions in the country, with the rebels taking control of a key commercial town, Laukkai, on the Chinese border last week.
More than 300,000 people have been displaced due to the recent violence, and more than 2 million overall since the coup, according to the United Nations.
Report says the conflict has also seen Myanmar police and military personnel surrender to rebel groups or flee across borders into India.
The two other groups in the rebel alliance, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Arakan Army (AA), did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the talks.
