UN says Myanmar military killed over 700 civilians during election period
A new United Nations human rights report says Myanmar's military killed at least 702 civilians during the six-month period when it was preparing an election last year. The report covers August to January and says the election process was widely derided as a sham because main opposition parties were excluded. It also says air strikes were the single largest cause of destruction and suffering during that period.
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The report, issued by the UN Human Rights Office, says credible sources verified the deaths of 702 people, including 224 women and 153 children. It says the military's campaign came as it pressed to gain ground in the civil war that followed the 2021 coup. The report also warns that a decline in international assistance is compounding the suffering of millions of people.
Sagaing was identified as the most dangerous region for civilians, with 191 deaths, including 60 women and 30 children. The report cites an October attack in Chaung-U, where 23 people, including four children, were killed and more than 60 others were wounded when munitions struck civilians gathered in front of a school. It also describes a December strike on a tea shop in Tabayin, where at least 19 people were killed and 20 others wounded while they were watching a football match.
The findings add to the record of a conflict that has displaced millions and left large parts of Myanmar under the control of armed opposition groups. They also underline the continuing civilian toll of the military's use of air power, which the report says remained the main source of destruction and suffering. The report's conclusions are likely to intensify scrutiny of the military's conduct as it continues to pursue an election process rejected by opponents and criticised by rights groups.
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The report also refers to abuses against Rohingya people, including forced recruitment by the Arakan Army, killings, arbitrary arrests and sexual violence. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk said people in Myanmar had been forgotten by those outside the country, and said funding for local protection efforts had in many areas been the only relief from constant targeting and indiscriminate attacks. His comments point to a wider humanitarian crisis that has deepened since the coup five years ago.
What remains unclear is how the military will respond to the report and whether the findings will lead to any new international action. The report does not suggest the violence has eased, and it says civilians remain exposed to air strikes and other attacks as the war continues. The next developments to watch are any official reaction from Myanmar's military, further UN follow-up and whether aid cuts worsen conditions on the ground.
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