Myanmar Military Intensifies Attacks on Civilians Amid Regional Diplomatic Efforts

Myanmar's military has significantly increased attacks on civilians following a leadership reshuffle, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).

The conflict monitor said the escalation began after General Ye Win Oo assumed command of the military in late March 2026, replacing Min Aung Hlaing, who later became the country's president. ACLED reported that the military has intensified airstrikes and ground operations, with fighter jets frequently carrying out sustained bombing missions against civilian-populated areas.

According to the report, more than a dozen mass killings have been recorded in the first half of 2026, resulting in over 450 civilian deaths. Around 40 percent of the fatalities occurred in Myanmar's central Anyar region.

Residents of Myit Chay township alleged that hundreds of government troops stormed the area in May, looting homes and killing at least 40 people. Reuters said it could not independently verify those accounts.

The latest violence comes despite renewed diplomatic engagement between Myanmar's leadership and neighboring countries. President Min Aung Hlaing has recently visited India and China and is expected to travel to Thailand on August 6–7 as part of efforts to strengthen regional ties.

Myanmar has remained in conflict since the military seized power in February 2021, overthrowing the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The prolonged civil war has reportedly claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced millions of people.

ACLED warned that civilians are unlikely to see relief in the near future, saying the military continues to prioritize consolidating its control while intensifying operations across the country.

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