A: Hey, did you hear about Myanmar's news recently?
B: Not yet, what's up?

A: Well, the military and pro-democracy forces have extended their ceasefire until the end of June.
B: Oh, really? That sounds good! But I thought they were still fighting?

A: Yeah, they declared a temporary ceasefire after an earthquake in March to focus on relief efforts. But the fighting continued after the military coup in 2021.
B: I see... So, why did they extend it again?

A: The military says they want to speed up the reconstruction and rehabilitation of affected areas due to the earthquake.
B: That makes sense, but what do the pro-democracy forces think about it?

A: Well, a source from their camp told NHK that the military's declaration is false and unacceptable because they're attacking schools, hospitals, and other gatherings.
B: Wow, that sounds serious...

A: And if you remember, the leaders of Association of Southeast Asian Nations called for a ceasefire extension in May. But it remains uncertain whether it will hold or not.
B: Sadly, the fighting seems to continue, and I heard about a military airstrike on a school in Sagaing that killed more than 20 children last month...
A: Yeah, it's really sad to hear about all this... Let's hope for peace and a swift resolution.
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Myanmar's ruling military has extended a ceasefire with pro-democracy forces until June 30. The extension was announced on Saturday.



The military and pro-democracy forces separately declared a temporary ceasefire after a major earthquake struck central Myanmar in March. The aim was to prioritize relief efforts. Fighting has continued since the military coup in 2021.



The military says March's quake has left more than 3,700 people dead and over 5,000 injured.



It also says it decided on the latest extension to speed up the reconstruction and rehabilitation of affected areas.



But a source from the pro-democracy camp told NHK that the military's ceasefire declaration is false and unacceptable, as the military is attacking schools, hospitals and other places where people gather.



In May, the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations issued a statement calling for the extension and expansion of the ceasefire in Myanmar.



But it remains uncertain whether the ceasefire will hold, as fighting appears to be ongoing.



Local media reported last month that a military airstrike on a school in the northwestern region of Sagaing killed more than 20 children.