Airstrikes by Myanmar’s military in the state of Rakhine have killed dozens of people, the United Nations said in a recent statement, an escalation of violence four years after the military staged a coup that toppled the elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
In a statement on Friday, the UN said military forces attacked Kyauk Ni Maw village in Ramree Island township, killing more than 40 people and reducing about 500 homes to ashes. The statement added that among the casualties were women and children, emphasizing the dire impact on civilians due to increased fighting.
“Fighting in Rakhine has intensified, with civilians continuing to bear the brunt of the violence,” said the UN’s resident and humanitarian coordinator in Myanmar. The report said civilians face extreme risks, including acute food insecurity and almost a complete collapse of essential public services.
This is in line with previous reports by rescue workers and the AA-an ethnic armed group operating in the area-which first reported at least 26 Muslim villagers dead from the attack, with another 12 injured.
Aerial photos taken following the bombardment showed locals making their way through what little remained of their homes, which had been reduced to smoldering husks of their former selves, littered with debris. The military government did not comment to Reuters and AFP on the report. It has denied any atrocities, saying its operations are directed against “terrorists.”
Opposition to military rule is spreading across the country, and different regions are dominated by various rebel groups, including the Karen National Union and the Kachin Independence Army, in addition to the AA. The UN demanded that all parties respect international humanitarian law and guarantee unimpeded access for humanitarian aid to people in need.
In a related development, the Blood Money Campaign—a coalition of activists in Myanmar—demanded that international governments immediately impose sanctions on entities that provide aviation fuel to the military. “Only when this support stops, the airstrikes will actually stop,” said Mulan, a spokesperson for the campaign.
Recent UN statistics show that more than 3.5 million people have been displaced by the conflict in Myanmar, which is a huge increase from 1.5 million in the previous year.
