The United Nations (UN) said on June 22 that Myanmar’s military was responsible for the deaths of more than 700 civilians during a six-month period surrounding the country’s election process over the past year.
A newly released report by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), covering the period from August — when the military announced plans to hold elections — until the end of January when voting concluded, found that credible sources had verified the deaths of at least 702 civilians across Myanmar.
According to the report, 224 of those killed were women and 153 were children. The UN noted that airstrikes remained one of the main causes of civilian suffering and destruction.
The report stated that at least 505 civilians, including 175 women and 112 children, accounting for 57 percent of the total deaths recorded, were killed in attacks involving fighter jets, drones, paramotors, and gyrocopters.
When asked about responsibility for the deaths, OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told AFP that all 702 verified civilian deaths were attributed to the Myanmar military.
“This does not mean that no civilian casualties were caused by other armed groups. Our findings are based strictly on verified information we have received. This is not a complete overall figure,” she said.
The report highlighted that Myanmar’s civil war has intensified since the military coup in 2021, which ended a decade-long democratic transition and removed the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.
Following the coup, the military ruled the country directly for five years before organizing a highly restricted election process. The elections were widely criticized by democracy monitoring groups, which described them as an attempt to legitimize continued military control.
The UN Human Rights Office said the period leading up to the military-controlled elections was marked by severe human rights violations, widespread insecurity, and instability.
The report also documented patterns of abuses that significantly undermined fundamental rights and freedoms necessary for a credible electoral process.
The UN said civilian deaths increased sharply, particularly in August, September, and December. These periods coincided with the military’s election announcement and intensified battlefield operations aimed at strengthening territorial control.
The international community was urged to refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The UN also called on individual countries to stop and prevent the transfer of weapons, aviation fuel, and dual-use goods that could contribute to violations of international law.
Photo: Civilian homes in Kyauktaw Town destroyed during bombardment by the Military Commission. (Photo – APM)
