14 May 2026 By Ko Myo
MONYWA, Myanmar — At least 47 women have been killed by Myanmar military forces in the Sagaing Region in the first four months of 2026, according to a detailed report by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).
The human rights watchdog confirmed the identities of 94 victims—47 women and 47 men—killed between 1 January and 13 May. Among the dead are 17 children under the age of 18, highlighting the devastating impact of the conflict on non-combatants.
AAPP reported that a vast majority of these fatalities—76 out of 94—were the direct result of military airstrikes. The junta has increasingly relied on its air superiority to target resistance strongholds in Sagaing, often hitting residential areas and makeshift camps for the displaced.
“Kani is currently facing the worst of it,” a Monywa-based activist told MPA. “The military is launching ground offensives combined with relentless airstrikes. Approximately 35,000 people are currently on the run and in desperate need of emergency humanitarian aid.”
The confirmed death toll may only be the tip of the iceberg. AAPP stated that it is currently investigating an additional 236 civilian deaths in the region that occurred during the same period but have yet to be fully verified.
In Kani Township, where the military has been raiding villages since 28 April, local activist Ko Pyae Aung Naing confirmed that civilian deaths continue to rise as troops move through the rural heartlands. The “scorched earth” tactics employed by ground troops have left entire communities hollowed out.
The surge in casualties underscores the escalating violence in Sagaing, a region that has remained a central pillar of resistance against the 2021 military coup. With communication lines frequently cut and aid access blocked by the junta, the true scale of the tragedy in rural Sagaing remains difficult to measure.
As the military continues its campaign to crush dissent through airpower and ground raids, rights groups are calling for renewed international pressure to halt the supply of aviation fuel and weapons to the regime. For the families of the 47 women killed this year, the search for justice remains as elusive as the hope for peace.
