Following the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, the country’s opposition democratic shadow government announced on Sunday a two-week unilateral pause in its fighting with the ruling military junta, though “defence operations” are excluded from this.

The “suspension of all offensive military operations” is to take place in the “earthquake-affected areas and related districts,” the National Unity Government (NUG) wrote on X.

The military junta continued its attacks against rebel groups shortly after the earthquake struck on Friday, according to media reports. In an interview with the BBC, the UN Special Rapporteur for Myanmar, Tom Andrews, called on the junta to halt all military operations.

The NUG has been fighting the junta since shortly after the military took power in a coup in 2021.

The death toll in Myanmar so far is 1,644, with more than 3,400 injured, but the casualty figures could rise by thousands due to the proximity of populated areas and the vulnerability of many structures.