Myanmar Junta Atrocities Escalate 5 Years After Coup

*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id="28c93fa0-98a2-4c5e-a654-3aee102bb65e" data-testid="conversation-turn-196" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn="assistant"> Myanmar junta atrocities have intensified dramatically five years after the military seized power on February 1, 2021. Since overthrowing the civilian government, the armed forces in Myanmar have entrenched control through widespread abuses that rights groups say amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Reports from Amnesty International , Fortify Rights , and Human Rights Watch describe a country where repression now touches nearly every aspect of daily life.

The junta staged tightly controlled elections between December 28, 2025, and January 25, 2026, widely criticized as fraudulent and engineered to guarantee victory for the military aligned Union Solidarity and Development Party. Political opposition has been systematically dismantled, with thousands of activists imprisoned and numerous parties banned outright. Authorities have also invoked a sweeping “election protection” law to criminalize criticism, protests, and organizing efforts.

Escalating Military Campaign And Civilian Harm In 2025, the junta expanded its reliance on airstrikes, drones, paramotors, and heavy weaponry against opposition held areas. Civilian infrastructure including schools, hospitals, religious buildings, and displacement camps has repeatedly been struck, violating international humanitarian law. Myanmar remains among the few countries still using internationally banned cluster munitions and antipersonnel landmines.

Conscription policies introduced in 2024 have further intensified abuses. Reports indicate forced recruitment of young men and boys, hostage taking of family members, and an increase in the use of child soldiers. Conditions inside detention facilities are dire, with allegations of torture, sexual violence, denial of medical care, and deaths in custody. Human rights organizations estimate that thousands have died in detention since the coup.

Humanitarian Collapse And Regional Impact Ongoing conflict has displaced at least 3.6 million people internally. Food insecurity has reached critical levels, with more than 15 million facing acute shortages. Aid delivery remains obstructed, particularly in opposition controlled areas, compounding the impact of natural disasters and economic decline. Rohingya communities in Rakhine State remain trapped between the junta and the Arakan Army, facing forced labor, arbitrary detention, and renewed insecurity. Illicit economies have expanded in the vacuum of governance.

Human trafficking networks, illegal resource extraction, narcotics production, and online scam operations along the Thai border have flourished, often involving transnational criminal syndicates.

Efforts at international accountability remain limited. Proceedings at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court primarily address atrocities committed prior to the coup. In late 2024, prosecutors at the ICC sought an arrest warrant for Senior General Min Aung Hlaing for alleged crimes against humanity dating back to 2017, but no public ruling has followed.

The United Nations Security Council has struggled to enforce its December 2022 resolution condemning post coup abuses, facing opposition from permanent members China and Russia. Rights groups are calling for targeted sanctions, a global arms and jet fuel embargo, and referral of the situation to the ICC.

The Road Ahead Five years after the coup, Myanmar remains locked in a cycle of violence, displacement, and impunity. Sustained international pressure, credible accountability mechanisms, and expanded humanitarian assistance are essential to prevent further deterioration. Without coordinated global action, civilians will continue to bear the cost of a conflict driven by repression and unchecked military power.