1,046 Civilians Killed At The Hands Of Myanmar's Military Regime, NUG Calls For International Community Assistance

Illustration of clashes between anti-coup protesters and Myanmar military regime forces. (Wikimedia Commons/Maung Sun)

JAKARTA - About 580 junta soldiers were killed and nearly 190 injured in 443 gunfights and killings with armed ethnic groups and civil resistance fighters in August, according to Myanmar's parallel Government of National Unity (NUG).

Based on media reports, Myanmar's shadow government said nearly 73 civilians were killed and 45 injured by junta forces during 129 acts of violence by the regime.

Myanmar's military regime has faced armed resistance from people using air rifles, homemade firearms and bombs across the country, except in Rakhine State. The state reported no resistance and only one civilian death in August.

Throughout August, regime forces faced 81 firefights with ethnic armed forces and 57 with civilian People's Defense Forces (PDF). Junta forces also faced 74 killings, 94 explosions and eight exchanges of fire. The regime suffered the heaviest losses in the Sagaing Region with 33 incidents with civil resistance, two exchanges of fire with ethnic armed forces, 22 killings and 11 explosions. In retaliation, regime forces reportedly carried out 38 acts of violence against civilians in the region.

An estimated 222 junta soldiers were killed and 59 injured while 37 civilians were killed and eight injured by junta forces in August in the region. Meanwhile in July, 417 junta soldiers were killed and 270 injured in the region.

The NUG further explained that Yangon Region reported the second largest number of violence with 64 cases in August. The report lists 37 explosions and 14 killings by PDF and 11 acts of junta violence against civilians.

As of Saturday last week, 1,046 civilians had died since the February 1 military coup, according to the Association for Assistance to Political Prisoners (AAPP). Meanwhile, another 7,876 people, including elected government leaders, have been detained by the junta or are facing arrest warrants. Some 6,230 people are still being held, including ousted State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint.

To note, last Sunday, the NUG asked the international community to help stop the junta's crimes against innocent civilians. The NUG called on the international community to work effectively to stop military operations “as soon as possible, to end the oppression and torture of innocent civilians, to end the coup and to hold (the regime) accountable for the crimes it committed.

"Human rights abuses by the military continue and these violations should not be forgotten, although we understand that the ASEAN special envoy wants to provide humanitarian assistance quickly and effectively," said NUG Human Rights Minister U Aung Myo Min, referring to the raids, arrests and ongoing attacks by the regime against anti-coup protesters.

The Myanmar Coup. VOI editors continue to monitor the political situation in one of the ASEAN member countries. Civilian casualties continue to fall. Readers can follow news about the Myanmar military coup by tapping this link.