Myanmar’s Children Still Facing Relentless Junta Airstrikes, Says The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar
May 13, 2026 | Burma Independent Voice
The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) has issued a statement noting that children in Myanmar continue to face the persistent threat of aerial attacks, marking the one-year anniversary of the airstrike on a school in Ohnhtein Kwin Village, Sagaing Region, which killed over 20 students.
Earlier this month, an airstrike on a playground in Chin State claimed the lives of at least five children between the ages of five months and ten years. Furthermore, the IIMM confirmed it is investigating several attacks that occurred throughout March and April targeting villages in Mandalay, Bago, and Rakhine State, as well as a church in Tanintharyi Region and a monastery sheltering displaced persons in Sagaing Region.
Nicholas Koumjian, head of the IIMM, stated that direct attacks on locations where children are present may constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity. He added that the mechanism is actively collecting and analyzing evidence regarding the Myanmar Air Force’s organizational structure and chain of command to identify those responsible.
According to available data, there have been at least 640 airstrikes resulting in child casualties between February 2021 and 2025, though the statement noted that the actual number is likely much higher.
Data from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) indicates that from the February 2021 coup until May 12, 2026, at least 1,071 children under the age of 18 have been confirmed killed by the military junta and its affiliated organizations.
