By Charles Maduka
The United Nations says no fewer than 170 civilians lost their lives in hundreds of military air strikes carried out in Myanmar around the period of the country’s widely criticised elections.
The UN human rights office disclosed that at least 408 aerial attacks by the military were reported during the voting period, spanning from December 2025 to January 2026. The figures, according to the agency, were verified through credible sources and open reports.
Head of the UN rights office’s Myanmar team, James Rodehaver, warned that the actual number of civilian deaths could be higher than what has been confirmed. He explained that the verification process covered the election campaign period through the near completion of the three voting phases.
Speaking from Bangkok, Rodehaver said communication shutdowns and fear among residents in affected areas have made it difficult to obtain timely and complete information. He noted that in many locations, people are hesitant to speak due to security concerns, which delays reporting and verification.
The development comes amid strong international condemnation of Myanmar’s month-long election, which democracy observers have described as an attempt by the military to repackage its rule, five years after the coup that removed civilian leadership.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk said the suffering of the people of Myanmar has deepened since the 2021 coup and worsened with the recent election organised by the military. He stated that many citizens either voted or stayed away from the polls out of fear, a situation he said contradicts internationally recognised civil and political rights.
Turk also pointed out that voting took place in only 263 out of 330 townships, mainly in urban areas under military control, while conflict zones were largely excluded. As a result, he said large sections of the population, including displaced persons and ethnic minorities such as the Rohingya, were unable to participate.
He added that years of military rule in Myanmar have been marked by repression of dissent, mass arrests, forced conscription, surveillance and restrictions on civic space, warning that the continued use of violence further distances the country from genuine civilian governance.
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