The conflict monitoring organization ACLED reports that Myanmar's military has significantly escalated air strikes against civilians following a recent power restructuring and the rise of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to the presidency, resulting in over 450 civilian deaths from massacres in the first half of 2026.
The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), which monitors global conflict situations, revealed in a report that Myanmar's military has clearly increased violence against civilians since a military command restructuring in March and the appointment of Gen. Ye Win Oo, a former intelligence chief and close associate of Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, as the new commander-in-chief.
This change occurred before Min Aung Hlaing transitioned from commander-in-chief to president following a heavily criticized election that banned most opposition parties, enabling the military government to retain political power.
ACLED noted that the military’s tactics have shifted, deploying fighter jets in groups of 2 to 5 to repeatedly strike the same target multiple times. As a result, although recorded air attacks have decreased in number, the intensity and death toll have risen sharply, causing severe damage to civilian infrastructure.
In addition to air strikes, the report states the military has resumed direct attacks on civilians, including arrests, abductions, village burnings, and sweeps in opposition-supporting areas, especially in central regions of the country known as 'Anyar,' covering parts of Sagaing, Mandalay, and Magway districts.
In the first half of 2026, ACLED recorded more than ten massacres attributed to the military, resulting in over 450 civilian deaths. Nearly 40% of these fatalities occurred in the strategic Anyar region, which connects multiple conflict zones and is part of the China-Myanmar economic corridor.
A significant incident occurred in May when several hundred government troops conducted operations in Miteche town near Bagan, causing at least 40 deaths according to local residents. Although Reuters could not independently verify this event, it is documented in ACLED’s database and reported by multiple local media outlets.
The report also indicates that Myanmar’s military targets key conflict areas in Chin State, Kayin, Rakhine State, as well as parts of Pakokku, Magway, and Sagaing, using air strikes, drones, and artillery. Many targets include civilian infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, churches, temples, public gathering places, and internally displaced persons shelters.
Furthermore, the military has expanded surveillance technology to monitor the population through the Person Scrutinization and Monitoring System (PSMS), combining AI-enabled CCTV cameras and biometric ID databases to identify and track government dissenters. Meanwhile, military-supporting networks monitor social media users who criticize the regime.
Military data indicates that from 2024 to May 2026, over 20,000 people have been detained for sharing content online, with arrests peaking during elections and political power transitions.
ACLED assesses that although air strikes may temporarily decrease during the monsoon season, they are likely to intensify again after October when weather conditions favor military operations. The group warns that civilians in conflict zones will continue to face displacement, food and medical shortages, and ongoing humanitarian crises.
The report was released amid Myanmar’s government accelerating diplomatic efforts to gain international legitimacy. Min Aung Hlaing recently visited India and China, and ASEAN has begun reopening communication channels with Myanmar's government after previously suspending invitations to military leaders following the 2021 coup.
Min Aung Hlaing is scheduled for an official visit to Thailand from 6-7 August, which is closely watched as part of efforts to increase regional acceptance of Myanmar’s government.