Full Breakdown
Myanmar Military’s Escalated Airstrikes Around the 2025-26 Election Highlight War-Crime Surge
8/12/2026, 8:11:39 AM
Intensified Aerial Campaign Before and After the Election
On August 11, the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) released its annual report for July 2025 – June 2026. It documents a sharp rise in low-altitude attacks by the military on civilian targets—homes, schools, hospitals, religious sites and displacement camps—in the months surrounding the military-managed election (December 2025 – January 2026) and afterward. The report notes increased use of paramotors, gyrocopters and drones with unguided explosives, sometimes gliding silently after engine cut-off, giving civilians little warning.
Background and Context
The military seized power in February 2021, overthrowing President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. The coup sparked nationwide protests and armed resistance, driving the country into a civil war that has killed an estimated 100,000 people and displaced millions. To legitimize its rule, the junta held a nationwide election in December 2025-January 2026, which rights groups called neither free nor fair; the result secured a victory for a military-backed party and led to junta leader Min Aung Hlaing assuming the presidency in April 2026.
Data and Statistics
- The IIMM’s investigation draws on more than 1,600 sources, including over 750 witness accounts.
- Photographs, video, forensic analysis and satellite imagery document attacks on dozens of civilian structures across Sagaing, Rakhine and other regions.
- The report records systematic arbitrary detention, torture and sexual violence in military-run facilities, with some cases linked to the 2025 Election Protection Law that criminalises criticism with penalties up to 20 years’ imprisonment or death.
Official Statements & Responses
Nicholas Koumjian, head of the IIMM, said gathering evidence in conflict zones was “challenging” but stressed the importance of preserving documentation for future prosecutions. The Myanmar military government did not respond to requests for comment.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Communities across Myanmar are not only living under the constant threat of violence, but are also coping with the profound and lasting impact of what they have endured,” — Nicholas Koumjian
- “One of the areas that we're concentrating on is, because of the suffering that's happening in Myanmar, are the airstrikes [against communities] that are occurring...We're looking at the command structure and how the orders would be given for such airstrikes,” — Nicholas Koumjian
Why It Matters
The intensified air campaign has amplified civilian suffering, with children and patients repeatedly caught in strikes on schools and hospitals. The IIMM’s findings are intended for use by the International Criminal Court, Argentine courts handling Rohingya cases, and the International Court of Justice, which is assessing Myanmar’s compliance with the Genocide Convention during the 2016-17 Rohingya crackdown. By documenting command-and-control structures behind the airstrikes, the mechanism aims to link senior officials to war-crime liability and challenge the junta’s claims of legitimacy.
What’s Next
The IIMM will continue to collect and preserve evidence for submission to national and international tribunals. Koumjian indicated the team is still examining alleged airstrike incidents in Sagaing where pilots cut engines before reaching targets, as well as reports of sexual violence by anti-junta armed groups. The mechanism’s ongoing work seeks to ensure that “someone is watching” when future violations occur.
