UN Investigators (IIMM) Say Myanmar Military Has Escalated Airstrikes on Civilians

The UN's Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) reported on August 11, 2026 that the Myanmar military has escalated aerial attacks on civilians, increasingly using low-cost motorized paragliders, gyrocopters, and drones to drop unguided explosives at low altitude — in the upper Sagaing region, some pilots reportedly cut their engines on approach to deny civilians warning. Investigators documented a pattern of 'double-tap' strikes hitting first responders and those aiding the wounded, alongside arbitrary detention, torture, and sexual violence, drawing on evidence from more than 1,600 sources. The IIMM said over 8,000 civilians have been killed and more than 31,000 arrested since the 2021 coup. Separately, the Arakan Army said about 20 civilians were killed and 22 injured in airstrikes across three Rakhine townships from August 1-11, including one raid involving up to eight aircraft over roughly an hour.