AP BANGKOK

Myanmar’s ruling military declared a temporary ceasefire in the country’s civil war on Wednesday to facilitate relief efforts following a 7.7 magnitude earthquake that has killed  3,085  people and the toll is rising.

The surprise announcement by military leaders who also head the unelected government came late Wednesday on state television MRTV, which said the halt in fighting would run until April 22 to show compassion for people affected by Friday’s quake.

The announcement followed unilateral temporary ceasefires announced by armed resistance groups opposed to military rule. The military warned that those groups must refrain from attacking the state and regrouping, or else face “necessary” measures.

The resistance forces have also reserved the right to fight in self-defense. Myanmar’s military seized power in 2021 from the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, sparking what has turned into significant armed resistance.

Ceasefires had been announced earlier this week by the People’s Defence Force, which is the armed wing of the shadow opposition National Unity Government, and the Three Brotherhood Alliance, a trio of ethnic minority guerrilla armies.

That had put pressure on the military government to follow suit, said Morgan Michaels, a Singapore-based analyst with the International Institute of Strategic Studies. It’s too early to say whether a pause in fighting could lead to something longer lasting, he said. “It would require very deft and active diplomacy to transform a humanitarian pause into something more lasting. And that’s not guaranteed,” Morgans said.

The quake hit midday Friday, toppling thousands of buildings, collapsing bridges and buckling roads. The toll rose to 3,003 on Wednesday, with more than 4,500 people injured, MRTV reported. Local reports suggest much higher figures. The quake worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis due to Myanmar’s civil war. More than three million people had been displaced from their homes and nearly 20 million were in need even before it hit, according to the United Nations.