Myanmar military announces temporary ceasefire

Myanmar's subject has announced a impermanent ceasefire to velocity up alleviation and reconstruction efforts pursuing past week's devastating earthquake.

In a statement, the ruling junta's State Administration Council said the woody would beryllium successful effect from 2 April to 22 April.

Earlier this week, rebel groups warring the subject unilaterally declared a ceasefire to enactment alleviation efforts - the subject had refused to bash the aforesaid until Wednesday's announcement.

At slightest 2,886 radical are present known to person been killed aft the magnitude- 7.7 earthquake struck past Friday. Hundreds of radical are inactive missing.

The earthquake was besides felt hundreds of miles distant successful neighbouring countries similar Thailand, wherever the decease toll presently stands astatine 21.

Myanmar has been gripped by unit amid a civilian warfare betwixt the junta - which seized powerfulness successful a 2021 coup - and taste militias and absorption forces crossed the country.

On Tuesday night, Myanmar's subject opened occurrence astatine a Chinese Red Cross convoy carrying earthquake alleviation supplies.

The Ta'ang National Liberation Army, an equipped rebel group, said that subject troops changeable astatine the convoy of 9 vehicles with instrumentality guns successful eastbound Shan State.

The convoy was en way to Mandalay, the hard-hit city adjacent the epicentre of the earthquake. No injuries person been reported.

The junta, which said it was investigating the incident, denied shooting straight astatine the vehicles. It said troops fired shots into the aerial aft the convoy did not stop, contempt it being signalled to bash so.

China's overseas ministry said connected Wednesday that its rescue squad and supplies were safe, adding that it hoped "all factions and parties successful Myanmar volition prioritize earthquake alleviation efforts".

Myanmar's humanitarian situation has worsened importantly aft past week's earthquake. The existent decease toll is believed to beryllium overmuch higher than the authoritative figures provided by the junta.

Multiple planetary assistance agencies and overseas governments person dispatched unit and supplies to quake-hit regions.

A subject spokesperson connected Wednesday said troops saw the assistance convoy coming from Naungcho township connected Tuesday night, with vehicles sporting Chinese stickers and Myanmar fig plates, but had not been fixed anterior announcement of the vehicles' movement.

"When we saw the convoy, we stopped it. But they continued. We opened occurrence from astir 200m away, but they didn't stop," helium said.

"At astir 100m away, we fired 3 shots successful the air, aft which the vehicles turned backmost towards Naungcho."

China's Blue Sky Rescue Team, which has been providing rescue enactment successful Mandalay, had been fixed a information screen erstwhile they travelled done this route, the spokesperson said.

He added that erstwhile planetary agencies privation to springiness aid, they request to pass the Myanmar government.

The TNLA, which was escorting the Red Cross convoy, said they had informed the subject assembly astir going to Mandalay.

After retreating to Naungcho, they would beryllium continuing their journey, the radical said successful a statement.