Myanmar military escalates civilian killings under new command, monitor reports

A conflict monitor records more than a dozen mass killings in 2026, over 450 civilians dead

Myanmar’s military has sharply escalated attacks on civilians since a new administration took office in the war-torn country, a conflict monitor said on Monday, even as regional governments ramp up diplomatic engagement.

The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) said the onslaught was a result of the tactics deployed by Myanmar’s new military chief who took over in late March as his predecessor prepared to become the country’s president.

“Since the ruling junta in Myanmar reconfigured its military command structure in March, civilians have been subject to the military’s worsening repression and intensified aerial bombing campaign,” ACLED said.

“These adjustments included the regular deployment of specialised groups of two to five jet fighters executing sustained air strikes against single targets.”

A Myanmar government spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters.

ACLED gathers data on Myanmar’s ongoing conflict from media reports and local partners, as well as reports by the UN, international monitoring groups and local human rights organisations.