New Fortify Rights report ties airstrikes to elections in Myanmar

Human rights group Fortify Rights released a report on Wednesday called Horrible Sight to Witness: Airstrikes on Civilians by Myanmar’s Military Junta Ahead of Sham Elections accusing the regime in Naypyidaw of “violating the laws of war” ahead of its 2025-26 elections, set to begin on Dec. 28, by carrying out airstrikes in Karenni and southern Shan states in the lead up to the polls. 

“The Myanmar military junta’s strategy for political and military gain is to kill more civilians and target key infrastructure, such as hospitals and schools, ahead of its sham elections,” said Sai Arkar, a human rights defender at Fortify Rights. He called on the international community and the U.N. Security Council to immediately “cut off the aviation fuel and weapon flows” to regime forces. 

The report documented that at least 55 civilians have been killed with more than 40 others injured in attacks from June to September on schools, churches, medical facilities and displacement camps by 12 airstrikes carried out by the Myanmar Air Force on towns and villages across Karenni and southern Shan.

Deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure is considered a war crime under international law.

“Civilians live each day under the terror of bombs falling from the sky and children running and hiding in fear at the sound of planes,” said Winter Berry at Fortify Rights. She highlighted that the regime must stop bombing and killing civilians in order to cling on to power in Myanmar. 

The Fortify Rights report was based on testimony by 15 survivors and eyewitnesses, as well as photographs and videos taken from the attack sites immediately after they were struck. 

Fortify Rights called the regime’s 2025-26  elections a “sham” attempt to legitimize its rule following the 2021 military coup, which ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government and placed her and President Win Myint in detention where they’ve been held incommunicado ever since.