The Brotherhood Alliance, comprising three ethnic groups, has accused Myanmar’s military junta of escalating attacks on civilians in rebel-controlled areas as it faces growing battlefield losses.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the alliance of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), and Arakan Army (AA) accused the junta of targeting civilians, including children, the elderly, pregnant women, and monks, Irrawaddy reports.
The latest strikes came on Sunday and Monday, when the junta targeted the AA detention centers in Rakhine State’s Pauktaw and Maugdaw townships, killing over 70 people, according to the AA. These figures remain unverified.
The alliance further claimed that the junta’s strikes also killed detained soldiers and their families.
The alliance pledged to document these acts and report them to neighboring countries and international bodies opposed to terrorism. The group also called on junta pilots to stop flying in operations targeting civilians and urged citizens to gather evidence of the military’s atrocities.
Earlier this month, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing promised counter offensives to retake lost territory, resulting in increased airstrikes in Magwe, Mandalay, and Sagaing regions, as well as Chin, Shan, and Karenni states. Reports suggest these operations have killed at least 40 people, including 12 children.
In northern Shan State, junta aircraft also attacked residential areas in Lashio, which had been seized by the MNDAA, injuring civilians and destroying homes and vehicles. The MNDAA also reported the destruction of a coal plant in Hseni by airstrikes on Tuesday.
The Brotherhood Alliance, having launched Operation 1027 last year, controls most of northern Shan State, including key trade routes to China, while the AA has seized significant parts of Rakhine State.
Clashes continue as the alliance pushes to gain more ground.