The decision was made by the Central Anti-Terrorism Organization with the approval of the military council and the federal government, the statement said.
“We closed the door and expanded the battlefield without discussing peace.”
These armed groups are blowing up roads, bridges and transmission towers, and using heavy weapons to attack cities and towns from afar. According to a statement from the military council, they have been declared a terrorist group because of drone strikes.
Arakawa Army (AA) spokesman U Kaing Tuka responded that in reality, only the military council is the terrorist group that is killing people nationwide.
“A person who terrorizes people every day declares an organization that seeks to liberate people as a terrorist group after receiving full support from the people to hide his various crimes. This violence, this evil in Burma. The whole of Myanmar knows that the Myanmar military led by Min Aung Hlaing is committing various crimes.
The AA was designated a terrorist group by the National League for Democracy (NLD) government, but was removed from the list on March 11, 2021, more than a month after the military coup.
In January, the Military Council and the three Northern Alliance armies agreed to a ceasefire through Chinese mediation, but the ceasefire agreement was invalidated on June 25 when a series of fighting resumed.
From November last year to today, fierce fighting has been taking place in Rakhine State, and fighting has also intensified in northern Shan State with a counteroffensive since June 25.
Loi Yeo, spokesman for the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), said the group would not mind being declared a terrorist group by the military council.
“Declaration of terrorist group; non-disclosure does not have a big impact on us, because in the past the military council has called us a rebel group or an illegal group and declared us under various names. This is not the first announcement. So it does not have a big impact on us and I do not want to comment too much.”
In Operation 1027, the Mandalay People’s Defense Force (MDY-PDF) is fighting alongside its three northern allies, the Burma People’s Liberation Army (BPLA) and the Myanmar People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
Political analyst U Than Soe Naing has often said that China is steadily working to bring about a ceasefire in Burma, but he believes the military council has expanded the military framework by declaring the three Northern Alliance groups as terrorist groups.
“Without discussing peace, we closed the door and expanded the war framework. The military committee’s opinion was that when China came to the peace talks and realized that the ceasefire that China had talked about had failed, they thought it was necessary to fight these three groups again, so they added them to the terrorist list.
The military council’s declaration of the Northern Group as a terrorist group is likely to lead to more aggressive attacks and more arrests and trials of civilians accused of links to the group, political analysts said.
“If five or more people are armed or rioting, it is an act of rebellion against the state. If they rebel, they will be punished under the terrorism law. Again, we have the right to confiscate the property of those suspected of terrorism. If you are caught with a weapon, you can be sentenced to death. It is a pretty strong punishment. So we work hard. We also have a very challenging attitude on our side.”
The military council has also declared the National Unity Government (NUG) and the People’s Defense Force (PDF) as terrorist groups, and is arresting and prosecuting people who write and share messages supporting these groups on social media. Since the three northern twins have also been declared terrorist groups, it is believed that people will be arrested and imprisoned on serious charges to prevent them from encouraging and supporting these groups.
Nine townships in Rakhine State and Palatwa Township in Chin State are currently occupied by the Arakan Army (AA), the TNLA occupies Nyaung Tso, Stone Black Thibo and Raincoat Moe Mate townships, and the MNDAA occupies and controls Lashio and Lau Kkai.
