[object Object]

Myanmar's military is responsible for the deaths of more than 700 civilians during the six-month election period last year, according to a new report from the United Nations. The report, covering August through January, verified a minimum of 702 civilian deaths, including 224 women and 153 children. Air strikes were identified as the single largest cause of destruction and suffering.

“

Of these, 224 were women and 153 children.

Specifically, the UN rights office stated that at least 505 civilians, comprising 57 percent of the total casualties, were killed in attacks involving jet fighters, drones, para-motors, and gyrocopters. A spokesperson for the UN rights office attributed these 702 deaths directly to the Myanmar military, while acknowledging that other armed groups may also have caused civilian casualties. The report's figures are based on credible data but are not considered comprehensive.

“

air strikes remained the single largest cause of destruction and suffering.

Myanmar has been engulfed in civil war since the military staged a coup in 2021, ending a decade of democratic rule. The military previously governed directly for five years before holding restricted elections that resulted in a win for its allies. Critics, including democracy watchdogs, have derided this transition as a maneuver to legitimize the military's continued control. The UN rights office, which had previously expressed strong criticism of the elections, noted in its report that the period leading up to the vote was characterized by "serious human rights violations and abuses, amid generalised insecurity and instability."

“

At least 505 civilians, including 175 women and 112 children, or 57 percent of the total, were killed in attacks carried out with jet fighters, drones, para-motors and gyrocopters.