News & Events

The head of Myanmar’s military government on Tuesday invited ethnic rebels to hold peace talks to end armed conflict across the country, the second time in less than a month that the ruling generals have publicly promoted negotiations.

Rebel groups have rejected a peace offer from Myanmar’s embattled junta, which is reeling from battlefield losses and defections in a civil war that has dragged on for more than three years.

“We invite ethnic armed groups, terrorist insurgent groups, and terrorist PDF groups which are fighting against the state to give up terrorist fighting and communicate with us,” the junta said

The head of Myanmar’s military government has declared that Myanmar will hold a national census next month to compile voter lists for a general election and to analyze population and socioeconomic trends.

China has promised technical support and aid to military-run Myanmar for conducting a census, followed by an election, state media said on Thursday, signalling Beijing’s backing to a junta cornered by an armed rebellion and steadily losing ground.

Myanmar’s military regime – which seized power in a 2021 coup – has extended the state of emergency serving to uphold its rule for another six months, as civil war rages in the country.

Foreign ministers of the Southeast Asian regional bloc ASEAN on Saturday condemned violence against civilians in military-ruled Myanmar and urged all parties to end hostilities and follow an agreed peace plan.

Fighting broke out in northeast Myanmar on Tuesday as a five-month ceasefire brokered by China between junta forces and ethnic minority insurgents fell apart, with clashes including air strikes by military jets, residents of the area told Radio Free Asia.