UN Report: Myanmar Military Killed Over 700 Civilians, Including 153 Children, in Six Months

New Delhi: Myanmar's military killed over 700 civilians, including 153 children, in a six-month span last year, according to a recent UN report. The findings, covering August to January, detail 702 verified deaths, with 224 women also among the victims.

The period in question coincided with the military's announcement of elections, a move largely dismissed as a sham due to the exclusion of key opposition parties. The UN Human Rights Office report identifies airstrikes as the single largest cause of destruction. The Sagaing region experienced the highest civilian casualties, with 191 deaths.

Tragic events documented include an October incident in Chaung-U, Sagaing, where 23 people died, four of them children, after munitions hit a civilian gathering. In December, a military aeroplane bombed a tea shop in Tabayin, Sagaing, resulting in at least 19 fatalities and 20 injuries. The report also notes the ongoing abuse of Rohingya people, subjected to forced recruitment, killings, and sexual violence.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk expressed concern that a decline in international aid is compounding the misery. The 2021 military coup triggered a civil war, displacing millions and causing thousands of deaths. Although rebels previously made gains, the military is now on the offensive, backed by forced conscription and enhanced drone capabilities.

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