Zaw Min Tun stated that they had suffered casualties, without specifying the death toll. The Arakan Army announced a unilateral ceasefire in late November so that voting for the 2020 general election, which had earlier been cancelled in nine townships in northern Rakhine State, could be held by the end of the year. The Tatmadaw also entered into dialogue, with clashes ceasing after the election. 2021 On 1 January 2021, following negotiations with the Tatmadaw, the Arakan Army released the NLD candidates it had abducted in October 2020, along with three soldiers. The Arakan Army also called for the release of Rakhine politicians, civilians and its own members. Despite both the Tatmadaw and Arakan Army backing elections in northern Rakhine, the NLD government later expressed reluctance in holding it stating there were no security guarantees by either side. The State Administration Council military junta installed following the February 2021 coup d'état removed the Arakan Army from Myanmar's list of terrorist groups on 11 March, citing the organisation's decision in late 2020 to halt its attacks and in order to encourage peace. The Northern Alliance consisting of the Arakan Army, Ta'ang National Liberation Army and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, however, warned on 30 March it would join the protestors in opposing the coup if the military did not stop attacking them, putting the ceasefire at risk. The Arakan Army's leader Twan Mrat Naing stated in April 2021 that he did not want the anti-coup protests to spread to Rakhine State, believing it may jeopardise negotiations between his forces and the Tatmadaw. However, he also expressed sympathy for the civilians killed by the Tatmadaw, and promised to "help every ethnic group achieve their political goals". As part of peace efforts, 10 ethnic Rakhine prisoners, including three relatives of Naing, were cleared of all charges relating to seizure of explosives in Mandalay and released on 9 June. Six military officers captured in clashes were released by the Arakan Army on 16 June, in Kyauk Kyak village of Mrauk-U Township. A day later, 17 policemen and soldiers abducted from the Shwe Nadi ferry on the Mayu River in October 2019 were released by the group near the Taintaungpyin village in Buthidaung township. On 27 June, the Arakan Army disarmed more than 20 policemen stationed at a temporary outpost in the Mahamuni Buddha Temple in Kyauktaw Township, after surrounding it. The stationing of the