Myanmar Junta calls new ceasefire

MYANMAR'S junta declared a new post-earthquake truce yesterday, days after the expiry of a previous humanitarian ceasefire it was accused of violating with a continued campaign of air strikes.

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The March 28 magnitude-7.7 quake near the central city of Mandalay killed nearly 3 800 and has left tens of thousands homeless as the summer monsoon season approaches.

Monitors say junta aerial bombardments breached the first truce in April with the Britain-based Centre for Information Resilience logging 65 strikes, many in quake-hit regions.

A statement from the junta information team yesterday said the new armistice “to continue the rebuilding and rehabilitation process” would last until the end of May.