‘Nothing left except death’: Myanmar families grieve huge war toll

Grief hangs heavy over Myanmar as families mourn the staggering toll of a civil war that has claimed an estimated 100,000 lives since the military seized power in a 2021 coup. In the central Magway Region, bereaved relatives gather at monastery halls, offering alms for the deceased, small gestures of support in a nation enduring widespread conflict.

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How many more young people will have to die?

"How many more young people will have to die?" asked Soe Gyi, speaking under a pseudonym for security reasons. He recounted the loss of his nephew, who quit training as a monk to join the pro-democracy rebels. "The generation in between has been cut down," he lamented, painting a grim picture where only the very old and very young remain. The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) monitoring organization reported on Wednesday that the conflict-related death toll has reached 100,114 since the coup, though official verified figures are unavailable and estimates vary.

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The generation in between has been cut down.

In the Myit Chay area of Magway, on the banks of the Ayeyarwady River, the emotional devastation is palpable. Thaung Sein, 45, spoke from a temporary jungle shelter after her civilian son was killed during a recent military offensive that displaced her family. "If our younger generation of children can survive until they grow up, there might still be a chance for a better future," she said, her voice heavy with despair. "But if they cannot even make it that far and things continue like this, there will be nothing left except death."

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If our younger generation of children can survive until they grow up, there might still be a chance for a better future. But if they cannot even make it that far and things continue like this, there will be nothing left except death.

She described finding her son's body burned and bearing puncture wounds amidst a landscape of charred villages. Rescuers documented the scene but withheld the graphic details from her. "In this war, they are simply killing people indiscriminately," Thaung Sein stated, conveying the brutal reality faced by civilians. "There is no regard at all for whether someone lives or dies." AFP has not independently verified these accounts. Analysts suggest the military is currently on the offensive, making advances across the country and securing truces with some ethnic factions, though rebel groups continue to patrol areas like Myit Chay, signaling ongoing violence.

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In this war, they are simply killing people indiscriminately. There is no regard at all for whether someone lives or dies.