In the wake of a catastrophic natural disaster, Myanmar is now battling an escalating humanitarian and human rights crisis. The United Nations reported Friday that the Myanmar military has carried out over 240 violent operations—including more than 170 airstrikes—since a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck the country on March 28, 2025. These attacks have killed more than 200 civilians, according to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
Despite a publicly announced ceasefire on April 2 to facilitate earthquake recovery, the junta has continued deadly assaults, primarily targeting regions that have shown resistance to military rule. Türk called the ongoing violence a “brutal betrayal” of the ceasefire and an “egregious violation of international humanitarian law.”
A Ceasefire in Name Only
The earthquake, which left over 3,800 dead and thousands more injured, was a pivotal moment for Myanmar. Entire villages were razed, infrastructure shattered, and the country—already dealing with the fallout of a military coup in February 2021—sank deeper into chaos.
In the immediate aftermath, junta officials declared a temporary ceasefire to focus on rescue and relief efforts. However, according to UN monitoring data, most of the attacks—the “vast majority”—occurred after the ceasefire announcement.
“Instead of protecting the people in their moment of greatest vulnerability, the military has intensified its attacks,” said Türk in a statement from Geneva.
The offensive reportedly includes airstrikes, artillery bombardments, and ground incursions, particularly in Chin, Kachin, Shan, and Sagaing regions. These areas are known strongholds for ethnic minority groups and resistance forces opposing the junta’s rule.
Escalating Civilian Casualties
According to data compiled by UN Human Rights Office field teams and verified by local sources, Myanmar’s armed forces have carried out at least 243 separate attacks since the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck on March 28. The human toll has been staggering.
Of those attacks, 171 were airstrikes—many of them targeted densely populated residential areas.
These strikes have killed at least 200 civilians, including women and children, according to verified reports.
The military also demolished dozens of homes, schools, hospitals, and humanitarian shelters, leaving survivors with no access to basic care or protection.
In one of the most lethal incidents, a jet bombed a makeshift camp in Sagaing Region on April 14, killing 30 people. Survivors recounted scenes of chaos as bamboo huts erupted in flames and children screamed for their parents amid the debris.
“These are deliberate attacks on civilians,” said Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, calling for urgent international action to protect the population.
International Condemnation
The international response has been swift but limited in impact. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement condemning the attacks and calling for an arms embargo against Myanmar’s junta.
“The military’s continued aggression—particularly during a declared ceasefire—proves their blatant disregard for international law,” Blinken said.
European Union diplomats echoed similar sentiments, calling the attacks “inhumane and reprehensible.” However, proposed UN Security Council action remains stalled due to opposition from Russia and China, two of Myanmar’s key military suppliers and permanent council members with veto power.
Amid this diplomatic gridlock, human rights advocates are calling for unilateral sanctions, universal jurisdiction lawsuits, and corporate divestments from businesses tied to the Myanmar military.
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A Country on the Brink
For ordinary Myanmar citizens, the situation is increasingly dire. The earthquake not only destroyed homes and infrastructure, but also collapsed communication lines and strained an already broken healthcare system. Humanitarian agencies, including Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and UNICEF, have struggled to reach remote villages due to insecurity and military checkpoints.
In the town of Kalay, which sits at the border of the heavily targeted Sagaing Region, survivors of both the quake and the airstrikes have taken refuge in temporary shelters set up in monasteries and schools.
“We lost everything in the quake. Now, we’re hiding from bombs,” said Daw May, a 63-year-old widow interviewed by Reuters. “I don’t know what tomorrow will bring.”
More than 1.8 million people are now estimated to be displaced across Myanmar, with a significant portion of them residing in IDP (Internally Displaced Person) camps with minimal access to clean water, food, or medical aid.
Who Is Behind the Attacks?
The attacks are being carried out by the Tatmadaw—Myanmar’s military—under the command of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. Since orchestrating the 2021 coup d’état that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) party, The junta has waged a campaign of violence against political opponents, civilians, and members of ethnic and religious minority communities.
Despite widespread condemnation, Min Aung Hlaing has consolidated power through military-run elections, state propaganda, and systematic suppression of dissent. The recent spate of attacks is being framed by junta officials as “anti-terror operations” aimed at neutralizing armed ethnic groups like the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Karen National Union (KNU).
Independent observers, however, argue that most victims are unarmed civilians, caught in a ruthless strategy to instill fear and maintain control.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has labeled Myanmar one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Following the earthquake and continuing conflict, the number of people in need of assistance has surged to over 18 million.
But delivering that aid remains nearly impossible. OCHA has reported that at least 30 aid convoys were blocked or delayed by military checkpoints since April 1. World Food Programme (WFP) trucks have been seized, and some local aid workers have been arrested or killed.
Martin Griffiths, the UN’s top emergency relief coordinator, described the situation as “a triple catastrophe—natural disaster, war, and blockade.”
“We are being prevented from reaching those who need help most,” Griffiths said during a virtual briefing to donors in New York.
What the Ceasefire Really Meant
The April 2 ceasefire was widely seen as a diplomatic ploy. In the days leading up to the announcement, military officials had been under increasing pressure from international aid groups and neighboring countries—particularly Thailand and India—to halt violence and allow disaster relief to flow in.
While the junta stated that hostilities would pause “in affected zones,” it did not define those zones, nor did it commit to halting air operations in rebel-held territories. Human rights groups warned at the time that the ceasefire was “vague and unenforceable.”
Now, with over 240 attacks recorded since then, those warnings seem prophetic.
Resistance Forces Respond
Despite relentless military aggression, Myanmar’s People’s Defense Forces (PDFs)—pro-democracy insurgents formed after the 2021 coup—have not backed down. Allied with ethnic militias, they continue to carry out guerrilla raids and sabotage operations targeting junta convoys and military outposts.
However, the PDFs lack the air capabilities and heavy artillery that give the Tatmadaw a deadly advantage.
In a recent joint statement, several resistance factions accused the military of using the earthquake as “cover for a renewed campaign of ethnic cleansing.” They have called for greater international military support, including defensive weapons and no-fly zones—a request Western governments are reluctant to fulfill due to fears of escalation.
The Path Forward: International Pressure and Justice
With international diplomatic channels largely gridlocked, many advocates are turning to alternative methods of accountability. These include:
- Sanctions: Expanding U.S., EU, and UK sanctions on junta-linked businesses and arms suppliers.
- Legal action: Invoking universal jurisdiction to prosecute junta leaders abroad.
- Corporate pressure: Urging companies to divest from enterprises tied to Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC).
- Digital forensics: Using satellite imagery and video verification to document war crimes for potential use at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Conclusion: A Nation in Turmoil
As Myanmar reels from one of the deadliest earthquakes in its history, its people are also enduring the horrors of war. The UN’s latest findings paint a bleak picture of a military regime unshaken by natural disaster or international scorn.
More than ever, global leaders face a critical test: Will they continue to issue statements and condemnations? Or will they take concrete steps to stop a regime that has proven time and again it is willing to sacrifice lives for control?
Until then, the people of Myanmar remain trapped—between the rubble and the bombs, between broken promises and shattered lives.
