Myanmar fighting continues despite truce

YANGON, Apr 07 (BBC): Fighting has been reported in Myanmar despite the military junta and a rebel group alliance announcing temporary ceasefires to support earthquake relief.

As of Friday, the military had carried out at least 14 attacks since the ceasefire, according to reports received by the UN Human Rights office.

The military accused two rebel groups in the alliance that declared a ceasefire of carrying out attacks. One group said fighting broke out in response to "offensives" by the military.

Maj Gen Zaw Min Tun, military council spokesman, issued a general statement saying "we will respond if military bases are attacked without reason". An army spokesman did not respond to BBC Burmese's request for comment.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged "a halt to all military operations" and a focus "on assisting those impacted by the quake, as well as ensuring unhindered access to humanitarian organisations" following the 7.7 magnitude quake on 28 March.

A civil war has been ongoing between the junta - which seized power in a 2021 coup - and ethnic militias and resistance forces across the country.