Myanmar military responsible for killing over 700 civilians in six months, UN says

A United Nations Human Rights Office report covering August to January documented at least 702 civilian deaths attributed to Myanmar’s armed forces during the six‑month period surrounding the country’s disputed elections. The toll includes 224 women and 153 children, with 476 deaths caused by airstrikes and 111 occurring before the election period began.

Air attacks were the main driver of casualties. In the conflict‑torn Sagaing region, 191 people were killed, among them 60 women and 30 children. An October strike hit a crowd gathered in front of a school during a candle‑lighting ceremony, killing 23, including four children. In December, a military aircraft bombed a tea shop in Tabayin while locals watched a football match, killing at least 19 and wounding 20.

The report stresses that the elections, announced after the 2021 coup, were widely regarded as a farce because major opposition parties were barred from participating. UN human‑rights chief Volker Türk warned that diminishing international aid would exacerbate the suffering of millions already displaced by the civil war triggered by the coup.