Published on 6/23/2026
More than 700 civilians were killed by the Myanmar military between August and January, more than half of them in air strikes, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said. She called for the matter to be referred to the International Criminal Court.
The Commission confirmed in a report that “reliable sources reported that they had confirmed the killing of at least 702 civilians across the country during the reporting period,” explaining that “air strikes remained the main cause of destruction and suffering.”
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Commission spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told Agence France-Presse that all the killings are “attributed to the military in Myanmar.”
She explained, “This does not mean that other armed groups are not responsible for other civilian casualties. This is the reliable data available to us. This number is not comprehensive.”
Data analysis showed a sharp rise in the number of civilian deaths during two periods, from August to September 2025, and from December 2025 to January 2026. According to the High Commissioner, the two periods coincided “with the announcement of elections and the army’s advance on the battlefield.”
According to the report, among the dead were 224 women and 153 children.
“Air strikes remain the main cause of destruction and suffering,” the text said, adding that “at least 505 civilians, including 175 women and 112 children, were killed in attacks carried out using fighter aircraft and drones.”
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights continued, “Reliable open sources indicated that armed opposition groups carried out attacks targeting civilians, including at least 95 attacks related to the elections.”
After five years of authoritarian rule, the junta held parliamentary elections in December and January, presenting them as a return to democracy.
However, voting could not be held in large areas controlled by rebels, resulting in a landslide victory for parties loyal to the army in the absence of opposition.
“The period leading up to the military-dominated elections was characterized by serious human rights violations… in a context of widespread insecurity and instability,” the commission said.
She confirmed that civilians in many areas were forced to participate in the elections and were threatened if they refused or if they publicly opposed the process.
The UN Commission recommended that the international community refer the matter to the International Criminal Court, calling for an end to “the transfer of weapons, spare parts and ammunition… to Myanmar, when there is a risk that they would facilitate violations” of international law.
