Report: 4,962 civilians killed as Myanmar junta’s killing spree continues

The Myanmar junta’s brutal killing campaign has resulted in the deaths of at least 4,962 civilians since the February 1, 2021 coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).

This staggering number includes 121 civilians killed in April alone, with 16 children among the victims.

The reported death toll excludes an estimated 1,750 additional civilian deaths documented by the association but not yet verified.

A particularly horrific incident occurred on April 22nd, when junta forces shelled the village of Pyin Taw Oo, killing three children and an elderly man.

The regime’s cruelty extended further when they shelled a group of mourners returning from the victims’ funerals, killing two more residents.

The AAPP reported that 223 females, including 40 girls under 18, were killed in junta attacks between January and April. Shelling claimed the lives of 98 women, while airstrikes were responsible for 82 deaths.

Sagaing Region recorded the highest number of female deaths with 70, followed by Rakhine State with 53.

At least 75 females, including a six-year-old girl, were detained in April and remain imprisoned, the rights group said, according to Irrawaddy.

Regime courts have also sentenced 27 females to lengthy prison terms under the Counterterrorism Law, with seven receiving life sentences.

Human rights activist Ma Thinzar Shunlei Yi fears that many more women have likely been tortured and killed without being reported. “The regime tortures women physically and mentally. Many of our sisters are still being tortured and killed,” she stated.

The junta’s forces also bombed Wun Ma Thuu Hospital in Chin State despite the absence of any resistance activity in the area. This violation of international law resulted in the deaths of four patients and a medical worker, injuring around 15 others.

This attack adds to the 35 hospitals and clinics bombed by the junta since February.

The Myanmar military’s response to the growing resistance movement has been one of escalating violence against civilians.