Latest news with #TNLA
NHK
6 days ago
- General
- NHK
Armed anti-junta groups in Myanmar extend ceasefire to June 30
Armed ethnic minority groups in Myanmar have announced the extension of a temporary ceasefire. They said the truce will be continued until June 30 to prioritize earthquake recovery efforts. The move comes after a similar announcement from the ruling military days ago. Both sides declared a temporary ceasefire days after a major earthquake rocked central Myanmar in March. The military says the quake has left more than 3,700 people dead and over 5,000 injured. Three armed ethnic minority groups including the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, or TNLA, said on Monday that they would extend the ceasefire. The announcement cited ongoing rescue and clearance operations. Heavy rainfall has caused more damage including collapsed structures. It remains unclear whether the truce will hold, as fighting appears to be continuing. Local media outlets report that there were military air and artillery strikes last month in northwestern Sagaing Region and western Rakhine State.
Fox News
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Plane makes emergency landing at Riviera Country Club after engine issues
A plane landed abruptly at a famed golf course Friday due to apparent engine issues. The single-engine aircraft made an emergency landing in the middle of Riviera Country Club, but no injuries were reported. According to Traffic News Los Angeles, three passengers were aboard the aircraft that landed at around 1 p.m. "The pilot, facing apparent engine issues, skillfully maneuvered the plane to avoid hazards, landing safely on the golf course," TNLA said. TNLA added that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the accident. The course will host the Olympic Games in 2028 and has hosted a U.S. Open in 1948 and two PGA Championships (1983 and 1995). Golf was "temporarily disrupted" at the course, which annually hosts the Genesis Invitational hosted by Tiger Woods. The 2025 edition of the tournament was played at Torrey Pines because Riviera Country Club was damaged by wildfires earlier this year. Ludvig Aberg took home the title. Riviera opened in 1926, and it will host the U.S. Open in 2031. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How aid becomes a weapon in Myanmar's war zone
In the immediate aftermath of an earthquake, there is a 72-hour "golden window" when those trapped under rubble are most likely to survive. But in the 72 hours after a 7.7 magnitude quake struck Myanmar on Friday, rescue and relief workers seeking access to some of the worst-hit areas were blocked by military authorities, multiple aid and human rights groups told the BBC. This was despite a rare plea for international humanitarian assistance by junta chief Min Aung Hlaing. "I would like to invite any country, any organisation, or anyone in Myanmar to come and help," he said in a speech shortly after the disaster, claiming he had "opened all ways for foreign aid". On the ground, things moved less freely. "I've talked to a few people now that were part of the rescue efforts in both Sagaing and Mandalay, and they said that [the military] imposed a curfew… the roads were blocked, the checkpoints were really long, and there was a huge checking of goods and services going in and a lot of questioning," John Quinley, director of international human rights group Fortify Rights, told the BBC. "It could have just been a lot easier to allow those people in," he added. "Obviously the Myanmar junta said it was for safety reasons, but I don't believe that's totally legitimate." Meanwhile, the golden window closed. At the time of writing, more than 2,886 people in Myanmar are confirmed dead as a result of the earthquake. On Tuesday night, an attack on an aid convoy further exacerbated concerns. At 21:21, a convoy of nine Chinese Red Cross Society vehicles carrying earthquake relief supplies was attacked by the military, according to Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), a resistance group in Shan State. The convoy was traveling toward Mandalay when it was fired upon by soldiers with machine guns, forcing it to turn back, the TNLA said in a Telegram post late on Tuesday. A junta spokesperson later confirmed that soldiers had shot at the vehicles, saying they had not been notified that the convoy would be passing through and fired warning shots after it failed to stop. But this is not the first time the junta has attacked aid workers, Mr Quinley said. "They pick and choose when aid can go in, and if they can't monitor it and they can't use it how they want, they restrict it," he said. "They definitely also, on top of that, actively target humanitarian workers." The junta, which began fighting a civil war with resistance forces in Myanmar after it seized control of the country in 2021, has a history of weaponising aid and humanitarian assistance: funnelling it towards areas that are under its control and restricting it in areas that are not. The BBC assessed the power balance in more than 14,000 village groups as of mid-November last year, and found the military only has full control of 21% of Myanmar's territory, nearly four years on from the start of the conflict. In previous natural disasters, such as Cyclone Mocha in 2023 and Typhoon Yagi in 2024, which left hundreds dead, the military obstructed relief efforts in resistance-held areas by refusing to release supplies from customs, authorise travel for aid workers or relax restrictions on lifesaving assistance. "It's a worrying trend that happens in times of crisis, like the earthquake," Mr Quinley said. "The junta is blocking any aid to what they see as groups that are aligned with the broader resistance." James Rodehaver, head of the Myanmar team at the Office for the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights, further suggested that the junta deprives Myanmar's population of aid as a form of punishment. "They do that because the local population, by and large, does not support them, so by depriving them of humanitarian aid, they are both punishing them but also cutting off their ability to support themselves and be resilient," he told the BBC. There are already signs the junta may be repeating this tactic in Sagaing. Although central Myanmar, which includes the cities of Sagaing and Mandalay, is nominally run by the junta - meaning aid can only be delivered to the area with their co-operation - large parts of the broader Sagaing and Mandalay regions are considered resistance strongholds. The likelihood that the junta might tactically deprive these areas of aid has prompted outcry from hundreds of human rights and civil society organisations, who have urged the international community to ensure relief efforts get to where they're most needed, and aren't channelled through the military government. One such statement, signed by 265 civil society organisations and released on Sunday, notes that most of the worst-hit areas are under the effective control and administration of pro-democracy resistance groups. "Myanmar's history provides stark warnings about the dangers of channelling aid through the military junta," it reads. In Sagaing, the impact of aid shortfalls can already be seen in troubling ways, according to relief agencies. They speak of shortages of food, water and fuel, while trucks carrying aid are stranded at military checkpoints around the city. Hundreds of residents, suddenly homeless, are sleeping outside on the street. Rescue volunteers who were forced to dig through the rubble with their bare hands have run out of body bags for those they couldn't save. Other community members seeking to respond to the earthquake are being forced to get authorisation from junta authorities by submitting lists of volunteers and items to be donated, local media reported. This tactic – of bombarding responders with lengthy bureaucratic checklists and processes – is routinely deployed by the junta to restrict the activities of international aid organisations in Myanmar, humanitarian sources told the BBC. According to a registration law imposed in 2023, such organisations must attain a registration certificate, and often sign a memorandum of understanding with relevant government ministries, to legally operate inside the country. One source, who spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity, said aid groups are often required to remove certain activities, areas or townships from their proposals, with no room for negotiation. Areas where the junta doesn't have oversight or control over the aid work are typically those that are disallowed, they added. Aid agencies have found ways to navigate the junta's restriction, however: a lot of humanitarian assistance in Myanmar happens underground, via local groups that can bypass checkpoints and distribute aid without attracting the attention of the authorities. Many financial transactions in humanitarian aid also happen outside of Myanmar's banking system, so that actors can avoid scrutiny and potential investigation from the country's central bank, a source told the BBC. In some cases, humanitarian organisations open bank accounts in Thailand so that they can privately receive aid funds, then carry the money over the border into Myanmar in cash. Such covert methods take time, however, and could lead to potentially fatal delays of days or weeks. Some aid workers are hopeful that, given the scale of Friday's earthquake and the international appeal for assistance by Min Aung Hlaing, it may be easier to overcome barriers and provide aid more efficiently. "In the past we have faced some challenges," said Louise Gorton, an emergency specialist based in Unicef's East Asia and Pacific Regional Office. "The scale of this emergency, though, is significantly higher… I think there will be pressure on the regime to ensure unfettered and unimpeded humanitarian access - and we'll continue to repeat the same need and find ways, sometimes low-key ways, to deliver aid." Cara Bragg, country manager for the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) team in Myanmar, said that while it's too early to tell whether the junta will truly "open all ways for foreign aid", her team is prepared to navigate the complex humanitarian situation to deliver assistance. "It's certainly a concern that they [the military] may direct the aid in specific places, and not based on need," said Ms Bragg, who is based in Yangon. "But as humanitarian actors CRS works under a humanitarian mandate, and will be very focused on getting aid to the places it needs to go - to the hardest-hit areas, regardless of who controls them." Early indications suggest that, despite Min Aung Hlaing's plea to the international community, the embattled junta leader is unlikely to prioritise the unfettered flow of humanitarian aid. Shortly after the earthquake, military jets launched a series of airstrikes on affected areas, killing more than 50 civilians, according to the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC). Then, on Tuesday, Min Aung Hlaing rejected ceasefire proposals that were put forward by resistance groups in a bid to facilitate aid. Military operations would continue as "necessary protective measures", he said. The junta changed its mind a day later, agreeing to 20-day ceasefire to help relief efforts. But it remains to be seen whether the pause in hostilities holds – the military stressed it would "respond accordingly" if rebels launched attacks. For many onlookers, this seeming contradiction - of asking for aid with one hand while conducting military strikes with the other - chimes with Min Aung Hlaing's history of duplicity. John Quinley, from Fortify Rights, suggested that the recent appeal for foreign aid is more likely an appeal for international recognition. Speaking before the military's ceasefire announcement, he noted that the junta leader had "lied on numerous occasions about ceasefires and the gross violations he's commanded". Against that backdrop, Mr Quinley added, it's critical to ensure earthquake relief gets to where it is most needed. "I'm not hopeful when it comes to taking what Min Aung Hlaing says with any hint of truth," he said. "I think as a human rights group we need to monitor: OK, [Min Aung Hlaing] allows aid in - but is it actually reaching people in need? Or is he weaponising the aid? Is he blocking the aid from getting to communities in need?"
BBC News
02-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
How aid becomes a weapon in Myanmar's war zone
In the immediate aftermath of an earthquake, there is a 72-hour "golden window" when those trapped under rubble are most likely to in the 72 hours after a 7.7 magnitude quake struck Myanmar on Friday, rescue and relief workers seeking access to some of the worst-hit areas were blocked by military authorities, multiple aid and human rights groups told the was despite a rare plea for international humanitarian assistance by junta chief Min Aung Hlaing."I would like to invite any country, any organisation, or anyone in Myanmar to come and help," he said in a speech shortly after the disaster, claiming he had "opened all ways for foreign aid".On the ground, things moved less freely."I've talked to a few people now that were part of the rescue efforts in both Sagaing and Mandalay, and they said that [the military] imposed a curfew… the roads were blocked, the checkpoints were really long, and there was a huge checking of goods and services going in and a lot of questioning," John Quinley, director of international human rights group Fortify Rights, told the BBC."It could have just been a lot easier to allow those people in," he added. "Obviously the Myanmar junta said it was for safety reasons, but I don't believe that's totally legitimate."Meanwhile, the golden window the time of writing, more than 2,886 people in Myanmar are confirmed dead as a result of the earthquake. On Tuesday night, an attack on an aid convoy further exacerbated 21:21, a convoy of nine Chinese Red Cross Society vehicles carrying earthquake relief supplies was attacked by the military, according to Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), a resistance group in Shan convoy was traveling toward Mandalay when it was fired upon by soldiers with machine guns, forcing it to turn back, the TNLA said in a Telegram post late on Tuesday.A junta spokesperson later confirmed that soldiers had shot at the vehicles, saying they had not been notified that the convoy would be passing through and fired warning shots after it failed to this is not the first time the junta has attacked aid workers, Mr Quinley said."They pick and choose when aid can go in, and if they can't monitor it and they can't use it how they want, they restrict it," he said. "They definitely also, on top of that, actively target humanitarian workers." The junta, which began fighting a civil war with resistance forces in Myanmar after it seized control of the country in 2021, has a history of weaponising aid and humanitarian assistance: funnelling it towards areas that are under its control and restricting it in areas that are BBC assessed the power balance in more than 14,000 village groups as of mid-November last year, and found the military only has full control of 21% of Myanmar's territory, nearly four years on from the start of the conflict. In previous natural disasters, such as Cyclone Mocha in 2023 and Typhoon Yagi in 2024, which left hundreds dead, the military obstructed relief efforts in resistance-held areas by refusing to release supplies from customs, authorise travel for aid workers or relax restrictions on lifesaving assistance."It's a worrying trend that happens in times of crisis, like the earthquake," Mr Quinley said. "The junta is blocking any aid to what they see as groups that are aligned with the broader resistance."James Rodehaver, head of the Myanmar team at the Office for the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights, further suggested that the junta deprives Myanmar's population of aid as a form of punishment."They do that because the local population, by and large, does not support them, so by depriving them of humanitarian aid, they are both punishing them but also cutting off their ability to support themselves and be resilient," he told the are already signs the junta may be repeating this tactic in central Myanmar, which includes the cities of Sagaing and Mandalay, is nominally run by the junta - meaning aid can only be delivered to the area with their co-operation - large parts of the broader Sagaing and Mandalay regions are considered resistance likelihood that the junta might tactically deprive these areas of aid has prompted outcry from hundreds of human rights and civil society organisations, who have urged the international community to ensure relief efforts get to where they're most needed, and aren't channelled through the military such statement, signed by 265 civil society organisations and released on Sunday, notes that most of the worst-hit areas are under the effective control and administration of pro-democracy resistance groups."Myanmar's history provides stark warnings about the dangers of channelling aid through the military junta," it reads. In Sagaing, the impact of aid shortfalls can already be seen in troubling ways, according to relief speak of shortages of food, water and fuel, while trucks carrying aid are stranded at military checkpoints around the city. Hundreds of residents, suddenly homeless, are sleeping outside on the street. Rescue volunteers who were forced to dig through the rubble with their bare hands have run out of body bags for those they couldn't community members seeking to respond to the earthquake are being forced to get authorisation from junta authorities by submitting lists of volunteers and items to be donated, local media tactic – of bombarding responders with lengthy bureaucratic checklists and processes – is routinely deployed by the junta to restrict the activities of international aid organisations in Myanmar, humanitarian sources told the to a registration law imposed in 2023, such organisations must attain a registration certificate, and often sign a memorandum of understanding with relevant government ministries, to legally operate inside the source, who spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity, said aid groups are often required to remove certain activities, areas or townships from their proposals, with no room for negotiation. Areas where the junta doesn't have oversight or control over the aid work are typically those that are disallowed, they agencies have found ways to navigate the junta's restriction, however: a lot of humanitarian assistance in Myanmar happens underground, via local groups that can bypass checkpoints and distribute aid without attracting the attention of the financial transactions in humanitarian aid also happen outside of Myanmar's banking system, so that actors can avoid scrutiny and potential investigation from the country's central bank, a source told the BBC. In some cases, humanitarian organisations open bank accounts in Thailand so that they can privately receive aid funds, then carry the money over the border into Myanmar in covert methods take time, however, and could lead to potentially fatal delays of days or weeks. Some aid workers are hopeful that, given the scale of Friday's earthquake and the international appeal for assistance by Min Aung Hlaing, it may be easier to overcome barriers and provide aid more efficiently."In the past we have faced some challenges," said Louise Gorton, an emergency specialist based in Unicef's East Asia and Pacific Regional Office."The scale of this emergency, though, is significantly higher… I think there will be pressure on the regime to ensure unfettered and unimpeded humanitarian access - and we'll continue to repeat the same need and find ways, sometimes low-key ways, to deliver aid."Cara Bragg, country manager for the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) team in Myanmar, said that while it's too early to tell whether the junta will truly "open all ways for foreign aid", her team is prepared to navigate the complex humanitarian situation to deliver assistance."It's certainly a concern that they [the military] may direct the aid in specific places, and not based on need," said Ms Bragg, who is based in Yangon. "But as humanitarian actors CRS works under a humanitarian mandate, and will be very focused on getting aid to the places it needs to go - to the hardest-hit areas, regardless of who controls them."Early indications suggest that, despite Min Aung Hlaing's plea to the international community, the embattled junta leader is unlikely to prioritise the unfettered flow of humanitarian aid. Shortly after the earthquake, military jets launched a series of airstrikes on affected areas, killing more than 50 civilians, according to the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC).Then, on Tuesday, Min Aung Hlaing rejected ceasefire proposals that were put forward by resistance groups in a bid to facilitate aid. Military operations would continue as "necessary protective measures", he junta changed its mind a day later, agreeing to 20-day ceasefire to help relief efforts. But it remains to be seen whether the pause in hostilities holds – the military stressed it would "respond accordingly" if rebels launched many onlookers, this seeming contradiction - of asking for aid with one hand while conducting military strikes with the other - chimes with Min Aung Hlaing's history of Quinley, from Fortify Rights, suggested that the recent appeal for foreign aid is more likely an appeal for international before the military's ceasefire announcement, he noted that the junta leader had "lied on numerous occasions about ceasefires and the gross violations he's commanded".Against that backdrop, Mr Quinley added, it's critical to ensure earthquake relief gets to where it is most needed."I'm not hopeful when it comes to taking what Min Aung Hlaing says with any hint of truth," he said."I think as a human rights group we need to monitor: OK, [Min Aung Hlaing] allows aid in - but is it actually reaching people in need? Or is he weaponising the aid? Is he blocking the aid from getting to communities in need?"
New York Times
02-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Military Fires on Chinese Aid Convoy in Myanmar, Rebels Say
Soldiers in Myanmar opened fire on a convoy of vehicles carrying relief supplies from the Chinese Red Cross for earthquake victims in the badly hit city of Mandalay, according to a rebel armed group in Myanmar. The attack was the latest indication that the military, which seized power in a coup four years ago and is fighting a fierce civil war that has caused widespread suffering, would not stop hostilities despite last Friday's devastating earthquake that killed at least 2,700. In a statement on Tuesday night, Myanmar's junta chief, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, said military operations will continue as 'necessary protective measures' despite the earthquake. The convoy came under attack by military forces using machine guns at 9:21 p.m. on Tuesday at Ummati village in Naung Cho township as it was traveling toward the central city of Mandalay, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) said in a post on its Telegram channel late on Tuesday. It did not say how many people were in the convoy or whether there were any fatalities or injuries. As a result of the attack, the convoy had to retreat to Naung Cho, according to the TNLA. It said that it has stepped in to protect the convoy, ensuring that it continues its journey to deliver aid to those in need. Myanmar's military and the Red Cross Society of China did not immediately respond to requests for comment. China, which has close relations with Myanmar, was one of the first countries to respond to the earthquake, deploying search-and-rescue teams and sending about $14 million in emergency aid. In the wake of the disaster, the National Unity Government, the shadow government in exile, and the Three Brotherhood Alliance, made up of three rebel groups including the TNLA, announced cease-fires. But the army has continued to bomb parts of the country since the disaster. On Tuesday around 5.30 p.m., 38 young trainees of the Kachin Independence Army (K.I.A.), an armed group battling the military in northern Myanmar, were killed in an airstrike in Kachin State, according to Colonel Naw Bu, the spokesman of the K.I.A. It is unclear why the Chinese Red Cross vehicles were targeted. But the attack underscores the chaos and challenges of delivering aid in a war zone. Since the coup, a total of 6,476 people, including pro-democracy activists and civilians, have been killed by the junta and pro-military groups, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an advocacy group. In recent days, international aid groups such as the World Food Program and UNICEF have entered Mandalay and the neighboring war-torn region of Sagaing, a stronghold of the resistance where desperate people say food and water are running out fast. But locals in both places have said their attempts to help with search and rescue have been stymied by the military, which has blocked them from entering collapsed buildings and imposed curfews.
