Myanmar military intensified air attacks and abuses before election, UN investigators say

Myanmar's military escalated aerial assaults on civilians prior to the election held in December 2025 and January 2026, according to U.N. investigators. The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) detailed that both the military and various armed groups in the country committed war crimes and serious abuses, including torture and sexual violence, during the past year.

The IIMM, established in 2018 to investigate abuses in Myanmar since 2011, observed a rise in violence leading up to the military-managed election, which Western governments and rights groups deemed neither free nor fair. The election was won by a military-backed party, enabling the junta leader Min Aung Hlaing to become president.

The military government has not yet responded to requests for comment. The IIMM's head, Nicholas Koumjian, emphasized the ongoing threat of violence to communities and the lasting impact of their experiences. The investigation also revealed instances of arbitrary detention, torture, and sexual violence in military-run facilities, as well as allegations of conflict-related sexual violence by anti-junta armed groups.

The civil war since the 2021 coup against an elected government has resulted in an estimated 100,000 deaths and the displacement of millions. The United Nations reports that tens of thousands of people have been detained since the coup.