Myanmar junta holds talks with Wa, Mongla leaders amid broader push for ceasefires

A Myanmar military delegation held separate talks this month with leaders of two powerful ethnic armed groups along the Chinese border, signalling the junta’s continued efforts to secure ceasefires and stabilise key frontier regions while fighting resistance forces elsewhere in the country. The meetings took place while junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was visiting China. On June 18, a delegation led by Lt.-Gen. Yar Pyae, head of the regime’s National Solidarity and Peacemaking Negotiation Committee (NSPNC), met leaders of the United Wa State Army (UWSA) in Panghsang, the headquarters of the Wa-administered region in northeastern Shan State, according to a statement issued by the UWSA. The Wa delegation was led by UWSA Vice Chairman Zhao Guoan. Discussions focused on dialogue, confidence-building, and prospects for long-term peace, according to a Wa military officer. Relations between the UWSA and the junta have remained relatively stable since the military seized power in February 2021, though contacts reportedly became less frequent after the launch of Operation 1027 by the Brotherhood Alliance in late 2023. The UWSA, Myanmar’s largest and most heavily armed ethnic force, administers most of the Wa Self-Administered Division along the Chinese border. During Operation 1027, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) captured the towns of Hopang and Panlong and later transferred control to the UWSA, expanding Wa-administered territory. The regime now retains administration of only Matman Township within the division. The UWSA also maintains forces in eastern Shan State near the Thai border, where it designates several townships as part of its Southern Military Region 171. Talks in Mongla A day before the Panghsang meeting, the junta delegation travelled to Mongla in eastern Shan State's Special Region 4, which is controlled by the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), also known as the Mong La group. According to statements released after the June 17 meeting, both sides discussed regional stability, peace, and long-term development. The NDAA said talks focused primarily on maintaining peace and stability in border areas. The NDAA and UWSA are among the few major ethnic armed organisations that have maintained long-standing ceasefires with Myanmar’s military. Following the 2021 coup, however, Mongla was included among areas placed under a state of emergency, prompting NDAA officials to seek its removal from the designation. The issue was not publicly reported as part of the recent discussions. A junta delegation led by Lt.-Gen. Yar Pyae meets with NDAA representatives in Mongla on June 17 (Photo: Mongla sr4 news agency) The NDAA is a member of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), an alliance led by the UWSA that includes the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA), and the three members of the Brotherhood Alliance: the MNDAA, the Arakan Army (AA), and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA). SSPP/SSA called to Naypyitaw While the junta dispatched negotiators to meet Wa and Mong La leaders, it separately summoned SSPP/SSA representatives to Naypyitaw on June 12. In a statement released after the meeting, the SSPP/SSA said it called for political disputes to be resolved through dialogue rather than military means and urged the establishment of a federal democratic union. The group also raised concerns about regional development, trust-building measures, and fuel access in areas under its control. According to the SSPP/SSA, junta officials requested that the group preserve existing peace arrangements, refrain from cooperating with organisations deemed a threat to regional stability, and assist efforts to combat online fraud operations and drug trafficking. Relations between the SSPP/SSA and the regime have been strained in recent months. Clashes occurred after junta forces conducted operations against online scam compounds and opium-processing facilities in parts of northern Shan State where SSPP forces operate. Tensions also increased following the arrest of some SSPP members. The junta is simultaneously pursuing talks with the TNLA and MNDAA through Chinese mediation. Reports have also suggested that discussions with the KIA may be planned, though the organisation has not publicly commented. Military analysts say the junta may be seeking to reduce conflict in northern Shan State through negotiations with FPNCC members, allowing it to redirect military resources toward ongoing battles against the AA in Rakhine State, resistance forces in Chin and Karenni states, and groups aligned with the opposition National Unity Government. “If negotiation with the AA is not possible, we see a situation where they will respond militarily,” said Captain Zin Yaw, a former military officer who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement after defecting from the armed forces. Earlier this month, on June 9 and 10, the NSPNC also held informal talks with seven ethnic armed organisations that signed the 2015 Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement.

Myanmar junta holds talks with Wa, Mongla leaders amid broader push for ceasefires

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