A Myanmar army battalion based near the Chinese border has reportedly surrendered to an alliance of ethnic armed groups that launched a surprise offensive last month in the country’s northeast.

BANGKOK (AP) — A Myanmar army battalion based near the Chinese border surrendered to an alliance of ethnic armed groups that launched a surprise offensive last month against the military, a spokesperson for one of the groups said Wednesday.

The surrender on Sunday of 261 people — 127 soldiers and 134 family members — from the infantry battalion in northeastern Shan state appears to be the biggest by regular army forces since widespread armed conflict in Myanmar broke out in 2021 following the military’s seizure of power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February that year.