Myanmar army takes outpost from powerful rebel group

Myanmar soldiers have seized an important outpost from a powerful rebel faction during a recent bout of intense fighting, state media and insurgents confirmed on Sunday – a fresh blow for the country’s struggling peace process.

Fighting has blighted Myanmar’s border regions for decades, pitting various ethnic minority groups seeking autonomy or independence against the country’s notoriously abusive military. Since winning landmark elections a year ago, de facto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi has made forging a lasting peace deal a cornerstone of her administration.

Myanmar’s military, backed by jets and artillery, captured Gidon Outpost in the early hours of Saturday morning, according to a state-run newspaper. The report said both sides suffered losses, but did not disclose figures.