ICRC expands humanitarian assistance as needs grow in Arakan and Myanmar

Photo : ICRC

DMG Newsroom

26 August 2026, Yangon

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reached more than 120,000 people across Myanmar with humanitarian assistance during the first half of 2026 as armed conflict, displacement and humanitarian needs continued to intensify across the country, including in conflict-affected Arakan (Rakhine) State.

According to the ICRC's latest Myanmar Operations: January–June 2026 report, the organization worked with the Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS), Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement partners, and local organizations to provide food assistance, healthcare, water and sanitation, shelter, physical rehabilitation, mental health services and explosive hazard risk awareness for communities affected by conflict and violence.

The report comes as humanitarian conditions remain severe in Arakan, where continuing airstrikes, artillery attacks, displacement and widespread contamination from landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) continue to threaten civilians. In recent weeks, DMG has documented repeated airstrikes on towns, villages and displacement sites, resulting in rising civilian casualties and increasing humanitarian needs.

According to the ICRC, around 53,000 people received seeds, farming tools and fertilizers to restore food production, while 12,000 people received emergency food assistance. More than 13,000 people were provided with essential household items, about 5,000 people received cash or other support for basic needs, and over 20,000 households benefited from livestock health assistance to help protect their livelihoods.

The organization also improved access to clean water for approximately 67,000 people and provided shelter assistance to nearly 11,000 people. Fourteen hospitals, clinics and rehabilitation centres received infrastructure upgrades to strengthen water and electricity services.

Healthcare remained another major priority. Nearly 5,000 people received emergency medical treatment through ICRC-supported facilities, while almost 10,000 patients benefited from emergency transport or referrals to hospitals. Around 2,700 people received physical rehabilitation services, including survivors of landmines and explosive hazards, and nearly 1,300 prosthetic and orthotic devices were produced to restore mobility.

The report's findings are particularly relevant to Arakan, where landmines and unexploded ordnance continue to kill and injure civilians returning to their villages, farming their land or travelling between communities. DMG has consistently reported that explosive contamination remains one of the state's most serious humanitarian and protection challenges.

The ICRC also provided mental health and psychosocial support, assisted more than 4,200 people returning home after release from detention, helped around 2,000 families visit detained relatives, and facilitated thousands of Red Cross Messages reconnecting separated family members.

As explosive hazards continue to spread across conflict-affected areas, the ICRC conducted 758 risk-awareness sessions, reaching approximately 28,000 people with mine and explosive safety information. The organization also trained community volunteers, distributed educational materials and supported public awareness campaigns aimed at reducing civilian casualties.

The report further notes that the ICRC continued promoting international humanitarian law (IHL) through engagement with authorities, weapon bearers and community leaders, while supporting the Myanmar Red Cross Society in strengthening emergency response capacity.

The ICRC said it has worked in Myanmar for four decades under its humanitarian mandate, providing neutral, impartial and independent assistance to people affected by armed conflict, violence and natural disasters.