As reports from inside Myanmar reveal the death tally from the devastating M7.7 earthquake on the afternoon of March 28 is nearing ever closer towards 2,000 as survivors claw at collapsed buildings with their bare hands, bno IntelliNews has now seen a document (pictured) released by the National Unity Government (NUG) in exile declaring a halt to all military actions as efforts are made to rescue those trapped.

In the document, the NUG states that “to facilitate rescue operations for people trapped in the debris of collapsed buildings, structures and workplaces, The Ministry of Defence of the National Unity Government announced that the People’s Defence Force (PDF) will implement a two-week pause in offensive military operations, except for defensive actions, in earthquake-affected areas, starting March 30, 2025.”

The 7.7 magnitude earthquake, which struck the Sagaing region of Myanmar, was also felt in neighbouring countries, including Thailand, India and Bangladesh. Late on Saturday, March 29, the ruling military junta said over 1,600 people were known to have died; a number released by many media outlets, with many more believed to be trapped beneath rubble. Other sources now point to this number being closer to 2,000.

The earthquake comes amid years of civil war, which erupted after a military coup in 2021 that went largely ignored by the international community as COVID swept the world. The coup triggered mass protests, with thousands taking to the streets daily to demand the restoration of civilian rule. However, what initially began as a campaign of civil disobedience soon evolved into a widespread insurgency, with multiple pro-democracy and ethnic rebel groups, which ultimately led to full-scale conflict. In the four years that have followed, the military junta, which has suffered repeated defeats while losing vast swathes of territory, has become increasingly reliant on air power to attack what it sees as insurgents.

One such attack hit an NUG-controlled area in the immediate afternath of the eearthquake, leaving a reported seven dead.

The NUG document continuedL: “An initial $1mn for immediate emergency rescue and medical operations across the country has been allocated, particularly in NUG-administered territories” before closing: “We call on all ethnic groups and citizens to actively cooperate with the NUG and revolutionary forces in providing comprehensive emergency rescue and relief assistance to the earthquake victims.”

However, with allies of the ruling junta from Russia and China already delivering aid to Myanmar and having supplied rescue teams, according to BBC reports, it is believed that the aid being supplied will be politicised and used against the NUG in the weeks and months ahead.