Nearly 70 Percent of Myanmar Junta Airstrikes Targeted Civilians, Report Finds

Nearly 70 percent of more than 2,400 airstrikes carried out by Myanmar’s military junta targeted civilians rather than armed resistance groups, according to a report released on October 14 by Myanmar Peace Monitor (MPM), a conflict-tracking initiative run by Burma News International (BNI).

The findings, spanning from January 2024 to July 2026, were presented during the online launch of BNI-MPM’s reference guide, Deciphering Myanmar’s Peace Process (2025–26).

Analysts noted that the regime has increasingly directed aerial bombardments at civilian areas—particularly following the rainy season, after losing military outposts, or during major battleground setbacks—to weaken public support for resistance forces.

"The junta wants to turn the public against the resistance forces—an old tactic it has long relied on," said Ko Hinn Ko Oo, coordinator of BNI-MPM. He added that the regime aims to foster the perception that communities are targeted solely due to the presence of resistance fighters, thereby driving wedges among civilians.

Since the 2021 coup, civilian fatalities from junta airstrikes have mounted steadily, reaching 3,059 by July 2026, with the highest casualties recorded in Sagaing Region and Arakan (Rakhine) State.

In southern Myanmar, including Karen National Union (KNU) territories, aerial attacks have killed at least 200 people.

Padoh Saw Kler Say, a KNU spokesperson, noted that despite regime claims of pursuing peace, escalating airstrikes contradict its rhetoric, functioning instead to instill fear and force submission.

BNI-MPM warned that as civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict, the resulting humanitarian crises could soon reach an irreversible tipping point.