Naypyidaw, April 2 (NationPress) The death toll from the 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar has surged to 2,719, with around 4,521 individuals injured and 441 people still unaccounted for, stated Prime Minister Min Aung Hlaing.

In the meantime, Aung Hlaing, the leader of Myanmar's military junta, dismissed ceasefire suggestions from Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs) and announced the continuation of military operations.

This decision significantly hampers humanitarian efforts as the toll from the catastrophic earthquake rises.

"While some ethnic armed groups may not be currently engaged in combat, they are regrouping and training for potential attacks. This constitutes aggression, prompting the military to persist with necessary defensive actions," Hlaing mentioned during a fundraising event in Naypyidaw on Tuesday.

As global focus remains on the destruction caused by the earthquake and the need for humanitarian aid, Myanmar's military continues its offensives against resistance factions throughout the country, according to a report from Myanmar Now.

Expressing concern over these attacks, the US-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch stated on Tuesday that Myanmar's military junta should grant immediate, unrestricted access to humanitarian aid for earthquake victims and lift limitations hindering emergency responses.

Since the earthquake struck on March 28, the military has conducted airstrikes and imposed internet restrictions in severely affected regions, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, as per the advocacy group.

"Myanmar's military junta continues to instill fear, even in the aftermath of a devastating natural disaster that has claimed thousands of lives and caused widespread injuries. The junta must abandon its dreadful historical practices and ensure that humanitarian aid promptly reaches those whose lives are imperiled in earthquake-stricken areas," remarked Bryony Lau, Deputy Asia Director at Human Rights Watch.

"The junta cannot be relied upon to manage a disaster of this magnitude. Concerned governments and international entities need to urge the junta to provide full and immediate access to survivors, regardless of their location," Lau added.

In its announcement, Human Rights Watch asserted that the junta is bound by international human rights laws to uphold the rights to life, health, and shelter.

"According to international humanitarian law applicable in conflict zones, Myanmar's military and opposing armed groups are obliged to facilitate swift and unhindered impartial humanitarian assistance to all civilians in need and cannot arbitrarily deny consent for relief operations," the statement concluded.