Myanmar's military leader vows no talks with 'opposition terrorist groups'

Yangon: Myanmar's military leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on Sunday said the military will not negotiate with "terrorist" opposition groups, vowing to "annihilate" them, local media reported.

Hlaing made these remarks during the 77th annual Armed Forces Day. Hlaing said the military will not negotiate with the opposition groups, which it calls "terrorist groups", Kyodo News reported. He said the military will continue "annihilating such groups until the country regains peace and stability".

"I would like to highlight that there are no governments or armies worldwide that negotiate with any terrorist groups," Hlaing said.

The senior general in his speech also expressed concern about unity within the military, warning that "foreign aggressors" and some political forces in the country are trying to disintegrate the military by acts of "internal and external mischiefs," Kyodo News reported.

"It is always needed to have a strong sense of unity within the organization," he said.

The Myanmar military seized power in February 2021 after accusing civilian leaders of rigging the general election.
Nearly 1,700 people have died in Myanmar at the hands of the military since the coup, according to a human rights group monitoring the situation in the country, Kyodo News reported.