Myanmar’s opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), has accused the country’s military leadership of committing serious human rights violations during a period of declared ceasefire following a devastating earthquake in late March. In a statement issued May 15, the NLD alleged that the military continued to carry out airstrikes, artillery attacks, extrajudicial killings, and abuses against political prisoners, despite publicly committing to halt hostilities for humanitarian reasons.
The ceasefire, announced by the military council on April 2, was intended to facilitate aid and recovery efforts after the March 28 earthquake, which struck several regions across Myanmar. However, the NLD claims that from April 3 to May 13, the military launched 181 airstrikes across 11 regions and states, killing 182 people, including 34 children, and injuring 298 others.
Mandalay and Sagaing regions—both heavily affected by the earthquake—experienced the highest number of attacks. One of the most deadly incidents took place on May 12 in Oe Htein Twin village in western Depayin, Sagaing Region, where a military airstrike reportedly hit a school, killing 22 students and two teachers. Another airstrike on April 13 targeted a village in Rathedaung Township, Rakhine State, killing 13 civilians, including women and children.
The statement also reported 15 incidents of heavy artillery shelling in five different regions, which resulted in 14 civilian deaths and 43 injuries, including several children. The NLD further accused military ground forces of burning homes, looting property, and committing mass killings in several villages. According to the report, 169 civilians were killed during such operations, including 36 children—one as young as seven months old. Eight separate incidents involved mass killings of five or more individuals, including an attack on Lelma village in Magway Region on May 12, where 11 villagers were reportedly executed and eight others taken into custody.
Prisons in the affected regions were also targeted. In Mandalay’s Obo Prison, which suffered earthquake damage, 64 prisoners died, including 12 political detainees. In Daung Nay Prison, also in the central Magway Region, gunfire allegedly fired from inside the facility killed two political prisoners and wounded at least five others. Two political detainees are reported to be in life-threatening condition, and on April 27, a religious leader and political prisoner, U Myat Ko, reportedly died after being beaten by prison officials.
The NLD accuses the military junta, led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity by deliberately targeting civilians during a ceasefire period meant for humanitarian relief. The party has called on the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the broader international community to intervene and hold the military leadership accountable for its actions.
