The Myanmar military junta and the Brotherhood Alliance of three powerful ethnic armies failed to reach an agreement at a second round of China-brokered peace talks, according to sources close to the ethnic rebel groups.
The tripartite ethnic alliance of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Arakan Army (AA) held discussions with junta representatives in Kunming, China for three days from Dec. 22 to 24.
The peace talks were arranged by Chinese special envoy Deng Xijun.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed the proposed relocation of troops and bases across northern Shan State as well as the reopening of vital Myanmar-China trade routes, over which the joint ethnic armies have taken control.
However, no agreements were reached at the talks, the sources said.
The three ethnic amies did not respond to a request for comment when contacted by The Irrawaddy on Tuesday.
Since the launch of Operation 1027 on Oct. 27, the Brotherhood Alliance has attacked and seized around 300 junta outposts, bases and tactical headquarters and around nine towns, as well as control of vital trade routes with China and around five border trade gates across northern Shan.
“To achieve to a ceasefire, all armies would be required to stop fighting at the places they have currently reached. Neither side could accept that. The junta can’t accept that the TNLA and MNDAA have taken control of the trade routes. Also, the ethnic armies can’t retransfer to the junta the areas they have occupied. This is the main point that has not been solved,” a military analyst with knowledge of the meeting told The Irrawaddy
Clashes are expected to continue in northern Shan as the junta can’t allow the TNLA and MNDAA to administer the state’s Palaung and Kokang self-administered zones, respectively, said the analyst.
The ethnic armies have vowed to bring down the junta, in order to “fulfill the wishes” of the people of Myanmar.
The ethic revolutionary groups and the military regime first met to discuss a possible de-escalation of fighting at China-arranged peace talks in Kunming in early December.
Both sides agreed to a 20-day ceasefire from Dec. 11 to 31.
However, intense clashes continued to break out across northern Shan State, except in the Kokang area, formally known as Shan State Special Region 1. The military junta lost additional strategic bases, trade zones and some more towns in the clashes despite conducting heavy aerial bombardments and artillery shelling.
Also, fierce clashes resumed in the Kokang region last Wednesday as junta forces conducted artillery shelling and aerial bombardment against MNDAA bases in the area, the ethnic group said.
The Brotherhood Alliance’s Operation 1027 in northern Shan, launched in cooperation with several resistance groups, is the biggest and most closely coordinated anti-regime offensive since the coup.
To support the operation, dozens of resistance groups including People’s Defense Forces (PDFs) under the command of the civilian National Unity Government (NUG) and other ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) have escalated attacks on regime targets and bases in Karenni (Kayah), Chin and Kachin states and Mandalay, Sagaing, Magwe and Bago regions.
The AA has widened the operation by escalating attacks on regime bases and targets across northern Rakhine State since Nov. 13.
The Myanmar junta also faces resistance attacks in Mon and Karen states and Yangon and Tanintharyi regions.
