18-11-2024 (YANGON) A damning new report has exposed the Myanmar military’s systematic targeting of civilian populations in the country’s southeastern regions, revealing a pattern of collective punishment since the 2021 coup.
The Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) has documented 227 airstrikes on civilian infrastructure across seven districts, painting a grim picture of the military’s tactics in areas where Karen ethnic forces and pro-democracy fighters maintain active resistance. The comprehensive study, based on extensive interviews with survivors and local leaders, details attacks on villages, religious buildings, schools, and medical facilities.
According to the findings, the campaign has resulted in at least 417 civilian casualties, including 168 deaths and 249 injuries. In stark contrast, only 22 non-civilian casualties were recorded, highlighting the disproportionate impact on the civilian population.
James Rodehaver, head of the UN’s Myanmar team at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, described these attacks as indicative of a broader assault on civilians nationwide. Speaking at an online panel discussion, he emphasised the systematic nature of these operations.
The military’s air campaign has been particularly destructive to civilian infrastructure, with 67 religious buildings, 42 schools, and 14 medical facilities either damaged or completely destroyed. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners reports that between January and October 2024 alone, military airstrikes claimed 540 lives, including 109 children.
