UN report blames Myanmar military for 702 civilian deaths, says 'those 702 are attributable to the Myanmar military'

Myanmar’s military was responsible for more than 700 civilian deaths during a six-month period last year, according to a fresh United Nations report that covers the window from the junta’s election announcement in August to the end of voting in January.

The report said verified sources had documented “a minimum of 702 civilian deaths," with the UN rights office attributing those deaths to the Myanmar military.

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A tally that chills the blood

The findings add a grim numerical measure to a conflict that has intensified since the 2021 coup that removed Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government.

The UN rights office said 224 of the dead were women and 153 were children. It also said air strikes were the single largest cause of destruction and suffering during the period under review.

At least 505 civilians, including 175 women and 112 children, were killed in attacks involving jet fighters, drones, paramotors, and gyrocopters.

Asked about responsibility, UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told AFP that “those 702 are attributable to the Myanmar military,” while stressing that the figure was not comprehensive and did not exclude civilian casualties caused by other armed groups.

And then came the troubling pattern

Civilian deaths spiked in two distinct phases: in August-September, when the military announced elections, and again in December, when the army made battlefield advances in an effort to consolidate territorial control.

The UN rights office said the period was marked by “serious human rights violations and abuses” and that verified incidents showed patterns that undermined the conditions needed for credible elections.

Myanmar’s military held tightly restricted polls this year that delivered a victory for its civilian political allies, but democracy watchdogs have criticized the process as a rebranding exercise that leaves military leader Min Aung Hlaing in effective control.

In its latest report, the UN rights office repeated its call for countries to refer Myanmar to the International Criminal Court and to stop transfers of arms, jet fuel, and dual-use items where there is a risk they could facilitate violations of international law.

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FAQs

Q1: Why did the UN accuse Myanmar’s military of killing over 700 civilians?

Ans: According to a UN rights report, verified evidence linked at least 702 civilian deaths between August and January to actions by Myanmar’s military.

Q2: What did the UN say caused most civilian casualties in Myanmar?

Ans: The UN said air strikes carried out using military aircraft and other aerial platforms were the leading cause of civilian deaths during the period reviewed.