Institute of Chin Affairs reports over 1,100 Chin deaths and 400 airstrikes in five years of post-coup conflict

Mizzima

The Institute of Chin Affairs (ICA) released a comprehensive five-year report on 2 February, documenting the devastating toll of the Myanmar conflict on the Chin people, with 1,183 verified deaths recorded since the February 2021 military coup.

The report, which covers the period from 1 February 2021, to 31 January 2026, highlights that the fatalities include 497 civilians and resistance fighters, among them 81 children under the age of 18 and 33 religious leaders.

“The numbers in the report were verified through information from the ground and online sources. However, the actual toll could be much higher,” ICA Press Secretary Slai Van Swee San told Mizzima on the morning of 2 February.

“We are working hard to find every possible way to bring justice and provide redress for the victims, and we will continue until the perpetrators are held accountable,” he said.

According to the ICA statement, the dead included 497 civilians and members of resistance forces, most of whom were between the ages of 18 and 35. The victims also included 33 children under the age of 10, 48 aged between 11 and 17, 154 aged over 36, and 451 whose ages could not be confirmed due to the circumstances of the conflict.

Of the 574 deaths recorded in direct fighting, 405 were resistance fighters and 169 were civilians, showing that the conflict has indiscriminately endangered both civilians and combatants.

The report also stated that in Chin State, junta forces carried out more than 400 airstrikes over the past five years. These attacks killed around 400 civilians and resistance fighters, injured 1,140 people, and destroyed 2,199 homes, 76 churches, and 88 government buildings, including schools and hospitals.

In addition, 84 civilians and resistance fighters were killed by landmines, while 33 others died as a result of torture, sexual violence, and extrajudicial killings during detention, according to the ICA. The report said these acts constitute serious violations of international human rights law.

The junta forces also burned villages and used nearly 100 civilians as human shields during military operations, leading to the deaths of about 15 Chin civilians.

With more than 100,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) and over 60,000 refugees living abroad, the situation has become a humanitarian emergency. The ICA strongly urged the international community, including the United Nations and ASEAN, to urgently investigate the actions of the military junta.

The Institute of Chin Affairs is an independent organization established in May 2021. It provides humanitarian assistance and conducts research aimed at improving education, health, and living standards in Chin communities.