Myanmar junta ramps up aerial assault on civilians: UN probe
GENEVA: The Myanmar military has escalated its aerial attacks against civilians, with the conflict ravaging the country showing no signs of abating, UN investigators said Tuesday.
UN investigators have revealed that Myanmar's military has ramped up aerial assaults on civilians, with the ongoing conflict showing no signs of slowing down since the elections in January. The United Nations Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) detailed a pattern of deliberate attacks on homes, schools, medical facilities, religious buildings and refugee camps, leading to deaths, injuries and destruction.
The military's growing reliance on drones and paramotors has made these strikes harder for civilians to escape. The conflict in Rakhine State, where the military is battling the Arakan Army, has intensified during the reporting period. The UN investigation has documented cases of arbitrary detention, torture and sexual violence in military-run detention centers, including those linked to a 2025 law criminalizing criticism of the elections.
Numerous individuals have been arrested under this law and face up to 20 years or the death penalty for posting critical remarks on social media. The IIMM, which has collected over 28 million pieces of evidence from 1,600 sources, warns that its ability to gather information is being hampered by funding cuts.
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