Myanmar military declares temporary ceasefire to aid earthquake relief efforts

Myanmar’s military has declared a temporary ceasefire to facilitate relief and reconstruction efforts following last week's devastating earthquake.

In a statement, the ruling junta’s State Administration Council announced that the ceasefire would be in effect from April 2 to April 22, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Earlier this week, rebel groups engaged in conflict with the military had unilaterally declared a ceasefire to aid relief efforts, but the junta had initially refused to follow suit until Wednesday’s announcement.

The magnitude-7.7 earthquake, which struck on March 28, has claimed at least 2,886 lives, with hundreds of people still missing. The tremors were also felt in neighboring countries, including Thailand, where the death toll has reached 21.

Myanmar remains engulfed in violence as a civil war rages between the junta, which seized power in a 2021 coup, and various ethnic militias and resistance groups.

Despite the ceasefire declaration, tensions persist. On April 1, Myanmar’s military reportedly opened fire on a Chinese Red Cross convoy delivering earthquake relief supplies.

According to the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), an armed rebel group, military forces fired machine guns at a convoy of nine vehicles in eastern Shan State as it traveled toward Mandalay, one of the areas hardest hit by the earthquake. No injuries were reported.

The junta, which said it was investigating the incident, denied targeting the vehicles directly. Instead, it claimed troops had fired warning shots into the air after the convoy failed to stop despite being signaled.

China’s foreign ministry confirmed on April 2 that its rescue team and supplies remained safe. It urged all parties in Myanmar to prioritize earthquake relief efforts.

The humanitarian crisis in Myanmar has worsened significantly in the aftermath of the earthquake, with many believing the actual death toll to be far higher than the official figures provided by the junta. Multiple international aid organizations and foreign governments have sent personnel and supplies to the affected regions.

A military spokesperson stated that troops first spotted the convoy coming from Naungcho township on April 1 night. The vehicles displayed Chinese stickers and Myanmar license plates, but the military had not been informed in advance of their movement.

"When we saw the convoy, we stopped it. But they continued. We opened fire from about 200 meters away, but they didn't stop," the spokesperson said.

"At about 100 meters away, we fired three shots into the air, after which the vehicles turned back toward Naungcho."

The Blue Sky Rescue Team from China, which has been assisting in Mandalay, had received security clearance when traveling through the same route, the spokesperson added. He emphasized that international agencies providing aid must notify the Myanmar government.

However, the TNLA, which was escorting the Red Cross convoy, insisted that it had informed the military council about its plans to travel to Mandalay.

After retreating to Naungcho, the convoy planned to continue its journey, the group said in a statement.

By Tamilla Hasanova