Military responds to quell fighting near gas pipeline connecting to China
The conflict between the Myanmar military and ethnic groups shows no signs of abating despite a China-brokered cease-fire, raising concerns about hampered humanitarian efforts.
China announced on Dec. 14 that the Myanmar military and three armed factions — the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Ta’ang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army — had agreed to a temporary cease-fire at talks held in China.
According to multiple media outlets outside military-sanctioned media, the Arakan Army and Myanmar military forces clashed on Ramree Island in western Rakhine state on Monday, forcing residents to evacuate. About 100 Arakan Army soldiers attacked a military base, with the military responding by mobilizing the army, navy and air force.
Ramree Island is near the start of a natural gas pipeline to China. There are reports that the two other factions have continued fighting since the cease-fire in the northeastern part of the country, which has deep trade ties with China, and have taken control of military facilities.
The violence has disrupted communications and has stymied the delivery of aid to residents.
The conflict escalated on Oct. 27, when the three groups declared a simultaneous offensive with the aim of seizing territory and toppling the military. The offensive began in northeastern Shan state before spreading to other regions and groups.
It is unclear why the armed groups have not adhered to the cease-fire. There has been speculation that the cease-fire has emboldened other groups to launch attacks.
On Thursday, fighters from the People’s Defense Force (PDF), which is the armed wing of the exiled National Unity Government, attacked a military base in the central city of Mandalay with small rockets. The attack unfolded near Mandalay Palace, a tourist attraction built in the 19th century.
On Wednesday, a nearby police station was bombed by drones launched by the PDF and other groups.
Yangon, the sprawling commercial capital and most populous city, has seen a series of bombings since mid-December. On Friday and Saturday alone, bombs exploded in 13 townships around Yangon, killing one person and injuring at least 10, according to reports.
Civilian casualties occurred at government facilities and a hotel, among other places. A guerrilla youth group that trained outside Yangon following the military’s February 2021 government takeover claimed responsibility for the bombings.
Meanwhile, the number of people displaced by fighting has soared. Since the end of October, more than 660,000 people were displaced, bringing the total to more than 2.6 million people, according to a report last week by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Next year, 18.6 million people in Myanmar, equivalent to a third of the population, will need humanitarian assistance, OCHA reported Monday. The aid is estimated to cost $994 million, but the funding raised this year only amounted to 29% of that value.
