Myanmar military extends non-operation period to end of June

The Myanmar military announced on Sunday the extension of its non-operation period against ethnic armed groups to the end of June.

All military operations will be suspended across the country except for the period when security and administrative machinery of the government in addition to state defense and administrative measures are encroached on, the military said in a statement.

According to the statement, the extension is meant to facilitate talks with the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) signatory ethnic armed organizations to strengthen the peace process, efforts to get non-NCA signatory ethnic armed groups to sign the agreement, and discussions on necessary measures for a lasting peace to be accomplished in the Southeast Asian country.

The extension also aims to let students in the country be able to focus on study peacefully as all schools for basic education will be reopened on June 1, according to the statement.

So far, 10 ethnic armed groups have signed the NCA with the government since it was initiated in October 2015.