China mediates a truce in northern Myanmar

Further gains by Myanmar's anti-junta groups in recent weeks, including resistance fighters overrunning 440 military posts, have added to worries about the fragile security situation in the neighbouring country impacting India's strategic northeastern region, people familiar with the matter said.

Three powerful anti-junta groups-Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Arakan Army and Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) - that launched an offensive against the military last October agreed to a temporary ceasefire in areas on the border with China on Thursday night, but there will be no halt in operations in other parts of Myanmar, the people said on condition of anonymity.

The truce was finalised in talks held at Kunming during January 10-11 between the groups known as the Three Brotherhood Alliance and representatives of Myanmar's State Administration Council (SAC). This was the third round of China-brokered dialogue since December and another truce last month collapsed within days.

The temporary ceasefire will be limited to Myanmar's Shan state bordering China and will have no impact in other areas such as Rakhine state and Sagaing region, which are located close to the border with India and have witnessed intense fighting in recent weeks, the people said.

There was no immediate response from Indian officials to the latest developments in Myanmar.