7/29/26, 11:40 AM
State repression increases under the Myanmar military’s new leadership | ACLED
This photo taken on 20 June 2026 shows a plot of land where a building once stood following fighting
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AUTHOR
Su Mon
Senior Analyst, Asia-Pacific
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State repression increases under the Myanmar military's new leadership The military is foc…
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Since the ruling junta in Myanmar reconfigured its military command structure in
March, civilians have been subject to the military’s worsening repression and
intensified aerial bombing campaign. Reprieve for civilians is unlikely as the junta
focuses its efforts on consolidating control following coup leader Min Aung
Hlaing’s transition from commander of the military to civilian president in April.
The changes that followed have resulted in deadlier consequences for civilians.
Since the partial elections that facilitated Min Aung Hlaing’s transition,
trusted ally Ye Win Oo assumed formal leadership of the military, ushering in
tactical adjustments in warfighting. These adjustments included the
regular deployment of specialized groups of two to five jet fighters executing
sustained airstrikes against single targets. While ACLED records fewer strike
events because of the repeated attacks on single targets, these strikes are
deadlier to civilians and result in extensive damage to civilian infrastructure.
Moreover, civilians previously subjected to primarily indiscriminate military
violence following the territorial losses of late 2023 are also now facing a
resurgence of direct, targeted attacks, including arrests, arsons, and abductions.
Although the rates declined slightly in June, coinciding with the monsoon period,
May had the highest levels of direct attacks targeting civilians since February
2024 (see chart below). The military’s tactics in 2026 so far show merely shifting
https://acleddata.com/report/state-repression-increases-under-myanmar-militarys-new-leadership
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