257 women killed by junta airstrikes within a year

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Photo – Independent Mon News Agency

The Burmese Women’s Union (BWU) reports that 257 women were killed in military junta’s airstrikes across Myanmar within one year.

According to data collected by BWU, out of 478 women who died nationwide in 2024, 257 were killed by junta airstrikes, and 191 were injured, as stated in their January 20 release.

Daw Yin Myo Hlaing, Joint Secretary 2 of BWU, said: “In most villages, only elderly women and young women are left. So when they target villages with airstrikes and artillery, that’s why we’re seeing more women casualties.”

Furthermore, according to BWU, other casualties included 142 women killed by junta’s artillery shelling without distinguishing civilian targets, 66 from extrajudicial killings, seven from landmines, six from sexual violence, and one from execution by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA).

Nationwide, 412 women were injured, including 191 from junta airstrikes, 152 from artillery shelling, 10 from arbitrary killings, 42 from landmines, 12 from sexual violence, and five from torture in military junta’s prisons.

Commenting on the junta’s increasing airstrikes on non-military targets such as civilian areas and villages, Mi Saung from the Mon State Humanitarian Network (MSHN) said:
“By destroying territories they’ve lost in resistance-controlled areas, they can divide people and resistance forces in other areas. They’re trying to instill fear that people will lose their possessions for supporting resistance forces.”

According to BWU, the highest number of women casualties within the year were recorded in Sagaing Region with 109, followed by Shan State with 92, Arakan State with 83, and Mandalay Region with 67, with Sagaing Region having the highest number of women casualties in 2024.

BWU’s statement also noted that the actual number of women casualties nationwide could be higher than reported.

Sent by NMG.

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