Myanmar rebel army ready for dialogue with junta, with China's help

YANGON — An ethnic minority army that is part of a formidable rebel alliance fighting Myanmar's ruling military has announced its willingness to hold talks with the junta after a year-long battle along the Myanmar-China border.

The Ta'ang National Liberation Army's (TNLA) decision, announced late on Nov 25, comes as powerful neighbour China puts pressure on rebels amid the rapid degeneration of the military, which Beijing has long seen as a guarantor of stability.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military ousted an elected government led by democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, sparking a resistance movement that began as peaceful protests and later evolved into an armed rebellion on multiple fronts.

The TNLA in a statement on its official Telegram channel said it wanted a halt to the military's air strikes in its region of northern Shan state, and expressed its desire for talks and its appreciation for China's mediation effort.

"Our civilians are suffering from air strikes and other difficulties.

So, we need to find a way out," TNLA spokeswoman Lway Yay Oo said.

The TNLA is part of a coordinated offencive launched in 2023 called Operation 1027, named after its start date, which has become the biggest challenge to Myanmar's generals since their coup, resulting in their loss of several towns and military posts.

The other two groups in the alliance, the Arakan Army and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.