YANGON, Myanmar — At least 44 women were killed across Myanmar in the month of April as the military intensified its campaign of airstrikes and heavy artillery against civilian areas, according to a report released on Friday by the Burmese Women’s Union (BWU).
The fatalities, recorded between April 1 and April 30, 2026, include eight girls under the age of 18 and one pregnant woman. The data highlights a disturbing trend of non-combatants bearing the brunt of the nation’s escalating civil war.
Ma Yin Myo Hlaing, Joint General Secretary 2 of the BWU, told MPA that the attacks appear to be systemic. “These violent strikes, especially the aerial bombardments, are deliberately targeting innocent civilians,” she said. “When you look at the victims, it is overwhelmingly women and children. For women to have a safe and secure environment, this state-sponsored violence must end immediately.”
According to the BWU’s breakdown, airstrikes were the primary cause of death, accounting for 36 of the 44 fatalities. Other causes included summary executions, heavy artillery fire, and stray bullets.
The violence has also left scores of women with life-altering injuries. In April alone, 57 women were reportedly wounded—45 from airstrikes, six from artillery, five from landmines, and one from gunfire. Among the injured is a woman living with a disability.
The geographical spread of the killings reflects the nationwide reach of the conflict:
- Mandalay Region: 11 deaths (the highest recorded)
- Sagaing Region: 8 deaths
- Karen State: 6 deaths
- Rakhine and Bago Regions: 4 deaths each
While the April figure of 44 deaths is significant, it follows an even deadlier month in March, when the BWU documented 88 female fatalities. The slight decrease in numbers does not signal a de-escalation, but rather a shift in tactical focus as the sham government’s military struggles to maintain ground control in several regions.
Human rights monitors have repeatedly accused the Myanmar military of war crimes, citing the “scorched earth” tactics and indiscriminate use of air power in ethnic heartlands. For the women of Myanmar, the statistics represent a grim reality where the safety of home has been replaced by the constant shadow of jet fighters and the unpredictable thud of long-range shelling.
As international pressure continues to mount, advocacy groups like the BWU are calling for more than just condemnation, urging global powers to take concrete steps to halt the supply of jet fuel and weaponry that fuels the junta’s daily raids on its own people.
