The Arakha Army (AA) has criticized Myanmar's junta for rejecting China's efforts to mediate a ceasefire, following the military's re-designation of the Northern Three Brotherhood Alliance as terrorist groups.
AA spokesperson Khaing Thukha stated that the junta's decision to label the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and AA as terrorist organizations underscores their refusal to engage in ceasefire negotiations proposed by the Chinese government.
On the evening of September 2, Myanmar's junta officially declared the MNDAA, TNLA, and AA as terrorist groups. This declaration came just days after China expressed its intent to mediate and halt the ongoing conflict in northern Myanmar.
"This announcement has effectively undermined the Chinese government's efforts to intervene and facilitate a ceasefire. It clearly shows that the Military Council does not accept China's intervention," said Khaing Thukha. The AA was first labeled a terrorist organization in March 2020 under the National League for Democracy (NLD) government. However, this designation was rescinded by the military in March 2021, a month after the coup.
Since the military coup, the MNDAA, TNLA, and AA have grown in strength and have been actively fighting the junta as part of the Northern Three Brotherhood Alliance. Khaing Thukha further remarked that the junta's terrorist designation is an attempt to maintain a semblance of authority amid its military setbacks, diplomatic isolation, and declining public support.
Responding to the terrorist designation, TNLA spokesperson Lway Yay Oo told Radio Free Asia (RFA) that the group does not regard the junta's announcement as significant.
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