The Myanmar military has killed more than 700 civilians in the past six months, according to a United Nations report released on Monday. The report documents widespread atrocities including torture, sexual violence, and the use of civilians as human shields as the country's civil war intensifies.
UN documents systematic violence
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said it had verified the deaths of 707 civilians between December 2025 and May 2026, though the actual toll is believed to be significantly higher. The report covers violence in multiple regions, including Sagaing, Magway, and Bago, where the military has been battling armed resistance groups formed after the 2021 coup.
According to the report, the military has deliberately targeted civilians, including children and the elderly, in airstrikes, artillery shelling, and ground operations. At least 50 children were among the dead, and more than 300 people were arbitrarily arrested or detained.
Sexual violence and torture widespread
The UN documented at least 30 cases of sexual violence committed by the military, including rape and gang rape of women and girls. Victims ranged in age from 13 to 45. The report also detailed the use of torture in detention centers, with prisoners subjected to beatings, electric shocks, and mock executions.
“The military’s campaign of violence against the people of Myanmar is relentless and shows no signs of abating,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. “These acts may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, and those responsible must be held accountable.”
Escalating civil war
The violence comes as Myanmar’s civil war, sparked by the military’s overthrow of the elected government in February 2021, has escalated dramatically. The military is fighting on multiple fronts against a loose alliance of pro-democracy militias and ethnic armed groups. In recent months, resistance forces have captured several towns and military outposts, prompting a brutal counterinsurgency campaign.
The UN report noted that the military has increasingly used airstrikes in populated areas, killing dozens of civilians in a single attack. In April 2026, an airstrike on a village in Sagaing region killed 35 people, including 12 children. The military has also been accused of blocking humanitarian aid to displaced populations, with an estimated 3 million people now internally displaced.
International response
The UN Security Council is expected to discuss the report this week, but action is likely to be blocked by China and Russia, which have veto power. The United States, United Kingdom, and European Union have imposed sanctions on Myanmar military leaders and entities, but these have failed to halt the violence.
“The international community must take decisive action to protect civilians and end impunity,” Türk said. “We cannot allow this brutality to continue unchecked.”
