Myanmar armed groups accuse junta of breaking China-brokered ceasefire

An alliance of Myanmar ethnic armed groups has accused the junta of repeatedly violating a China-brokered ceasefire in the north of the country in June and causing civilian casualties.

Beijing brokered a truce between the junta and the Three Brotherhood Alliance in January after months of fighting that displaced more than half a million people near China's southern border.

The ceasefire allowed the alliance made up of the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Arakan Army (AA) to hold swathes of territory it had seized in northern Shan state.

Junta troops launched an air strike on June 19 on territory the TNLA holds near the ruby and gem-mining hub of Mogok, the group said.