UN report says Myanmar junta airstrikes killed hundreds of civilians amid escalating abuses

By Admin 23 Jun 2026

DMG Newsroom

23 June 2026, Kyauktaw

Myanmar military junta airstrikes and other human rights violations killed at least 702 civilians between August 2025 and January 2026, according to a report released Monday by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The report documented abuses committed during a six-month period that began with the announcement of the junta's election plans and continued through the conclusion of the voting process.

Airstrikes were identified as the leading cause of civilian deaths, accounting for more than 53 percent of the documented fatalities. The UN verified that aerial attacks killed 476 people during the period, including 224 women and 153 children.

The report said the junta used fighter jets, drones, and paramotors to attack civilian areas, with broader records showing more than 500 deaths caused by aerial operations.

The UN identified two major periods of increased civilian casualties, with the first occurring between August and September and the second between December and January.

The report also linked the worsening humanitarian crisis to military roadblocks and restrictions on international aid, which have limited access to emergency healthcare and essential assistance.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called on the international community to pay greater attention to the crisis in Myanmar.

"The people of Myanmar are enduring catastrophic suffering inflicted by military operations, compounded by a dangerous decline in international attention," Turk said. "The reduction of humanitarian assistance is further worsening an already severe crisis."

The report stated that the junta's use of air power has become a major factor behind civilian deaths and widespread infrastructure destruction.

According to UN findings, combined operations involving fighter jets, drones, paramotors, and attack helicopters caused at least 505 documented deaths, with women and children making up 57 percent of the victims.

Relatives of victims have called for international accountability for alleged war crimes.

"We demand immediate international prosecution against Min Aung Hlaing," said Daw Ma Khin Nu, a Kyauktaw resident who lost family members in a June 17 airstrike that killed nine civilians and injured 18 others. "The regime is carrying out a deliberate campaign of violence against civilians."

The report said the junta has carried out at least 1,400 airstrikes nationwide amid ongoing territorial losses, resulting in more than 1,000 civilian deaths.

The UN also cited an October 6, 2025 attack in Chaung-U Township, Sagaing Region, as one of the major civilian casualty incidents. The attack targeted a Thadingyut festival gathering near a school in Butone Village, killing 23 civilians, including women and children, and injuring more than 60 others.

The UN concluded that the continued supply of foreign weapons, ammunition, and military equipment to the junta remains a key factor enabling ongoing human rights violations across Myanmar.