Myanmar authorities allow ceasefire agreement after earthquake to fade away without renewal
MYANMAR: The military junta, which seized power in a 2021 coup and sparked a violent civil war, let a ceasefire declared to aid disaster relief efforts after the devastating 2024 earthquake expire on Thursday (May 1). The truce, which the junta had declared on April 2 and extended last week, was repeatedly violated, with 65 air attacks by the military recorded during the declared ceasefire period.
The magnitude-7.7 earthquake in Myanmar's central region on March 28, 2024, claimed nearly 3,800 lives and left tens of thousands homeless, as the summer monsoon season approached. Despite the junta's extension of the ceasefire, it expired at midnight on Wednesday (1.30am, Singapore time) with no announcement of an extension.
Reports from the Centre for Information Resilience logged over 211 airstrikes across 157 locations between March 28 and April 18, 2025, with many targeting areas worst-hit by the quake. These attacks resulted in significant civilian casualties, with the National Unity Government reporting 72 deaths from March 28 to April 8, 2025. The UN Human Rights Office documented over 120 attacks following the earthquake, including shelling and bomb strikes on a village school that killed three people. These actions were considered potential violations of international humanitarian law.
The lapsing of the truce left ongoing humanitarian needs unaided, affecting 17 million people in earthquake-hit areas. Despite calls for an extension, the junta made no such announcement, and its spokesman could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.
Top Stories: The unextended ceasefire announced by Myanmar's military junta, following their 2021 coup, expired on Wednesday, leaving ongoing humanitarian needs unattended amidst the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in 2024. Despite the junta's extension of the truce, it failed to prevent air attacks resulting in 72 reported deaths between March 2024 and April 2025. The United Nations Human Rights Office documented over 120 attacks following the earthquake, potentially violating international humanitarian law. As political tensions persist in Myanmar's general-news headlines, the expiration of the truce puts civilians in a vulnerable position.
