Myanmar’s military junta has continued its bombardment of several areas of the country, despite the nation being struck by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake on 28 March 2025, killing at least 2,700 people and causing huge devastation.
The latest incident recorded by AOAV included the naval artillery shelling of Zin Chaung Khon Bwe village in the Kyauk Phyu Township, in the Rakhine state at around 9am on Monday 31 March. The shelling killed 2 civilians, including a monk, and injured seven others. Among the injured were a 12 and 16 year old. The bombardment caused damage to the local monastery and housing within the village. Rakhine state, along with other regions experienced significant damage resulting from the earthquake, with access to electriucity and vital healthcare being disrupted or cut off.
The earthquake’s epicenter was located in the Sagaing region, but caused widespread devastation in Mandalay and other regions, as well as neighbouring countries such as Thailand. It comes amid Myanmar’s ongoing brutal civil war which erupted in February 2021 following a coup d’état by the country’s military junta, and has so far killed and injured 6,876 civilians. Both Sagaing and Rakhine are the two most impacted states in terms of civilian casualties.
AOAV has recorded a 857% increase in the number of civilian casualties since February 2021, with 3,379 civilians killed and injured in 2024, up from a total of 353 in 2021. Just over 85% (5,858) of civilian casualties were perpetrated by state actors, specifically the Myanmar military junta.
The junta has escalated attacks on populated areas, where civilians are most at risk, with 99% of all recorded civilian casualties in 2024 occurring in locations such as villages or urban residential areas, causing widespread damage to homes, schools, places of worship and infrastructure etc.
Air-launched weapons, specifically air strikes, have accounted for 48% of civilian casualties from 2021 to 2024. Ground-launched weapons, predominantly artillery shelling, have accounted for 35% of civilian casualties.
The junta’s use of both air-launched and ground-launched weapons have increased year-on-year since 2021, with further increased usage expected in 2025, as the junta show no signs of reducing their use of explosive weapons, even in times of natural disaster and crisis.
It is of paramount importance that the international community works together to bring an end to this conflict, and ensures peace and stability is restored in Myanmar. The ongoing suffering of the Myanmar people must be at the forefront of all diplomatic efforts in relation to the conflict. AOAV reiterates its condemnation of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, and urges the cessation of such weapon use immediately.