Investigators say Myanmar’s military has escalated airstrikes against civilians
Summary
Myanmar’s military has increased its use of low-cost aircraft like motorized paragliders and gyrocopters to launch airstrikes that kill civilians. A United Nations investigation found evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including attacks targeting people helping the wounded and those fleeing.Key Facts
- Myanmar’s military has used motorized paragliders, gyrocopters, and drones for low-altitude airstrikes with unguided explosives.
- The UN’s Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) investigated abuses and found increased attacks around national elections in late 2023 and early 2024.
- The military uses “double-tap” strikes where a second attack targets first responders and civilians escaping the first strike.
- The Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group, said 20 civilians were killed in Myanmar military airstrikes across Rakhine state in early August 2024.
- Motorized paragliders sometimes glide silently by cutting engines before attacking, giving civilians little warning.
- Since 2021, over 8,000 civilians have been killed and more than 31,000 arrested by Myanmar’s security forces, according to an independent group.
- The IIMM gathered evidence from more than 1,600 sources to support future prosecutions of those responsible for war crimes.
- Myanmar’s military government has not publicly responded to the UN report or allegations of civilian attacks.
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