Myanmar civil war (2021–present)
The Myanmar civil war,[l] also called the Burmese Spring Revolution, Burmese civil war or People's Defensive War, is an ongoing civil war following Myanmar's long-running insurgencies, which escalated significantly in response to the 2021 military coup d'état and the subsequent violent crackdown on anti-coup protests.[37][38] The exiled National Unity Government and major ethnic armed organisations repudiated the 2008 Constitution and called instead for a democratic federal state.[39] Besides engaging this alliance, the SAC also contends with other anti-SAC forces in areas under its control.[40] Hannah Beech of The New York Times observed the insurgents are apportioned into hundreds of armed groups scattered across the country.[41]
This article is about the ongoing civil war. For the nonviolent protests, see Myanmar protests (2021–present).
As of March 2023 the UN estimated that since the coup in February 2021, 17.6 million people in Myanmar required humanitarian assistance, while 1.6 million were internally displaced, and over 55,000 civilian buildings had been destroyed.[42] UNOCHA said that over 40,000 people had fled into neighboring countries, such as Bangladesh, India and Thailand.[43]
As of October 2023 Myanmar's military, the Tatmadaw, controlled under 40% of the country, although they maintained that they controlled around two-thirds of the country's 330 townships.[14][44] In the second half of 2023, Chinland Defense Forces in the state of Chin had captured a majority of the state, with a few holdouts in urban areas and along the India–Myanmar border remaining. In October 2023, the Tatmadaw began facing manpower issues, with desertions and low morale being extremely common. This coincided with a major offensive by the People's Defence Force and Three Brotherhood Alliance in the west of the country, which was successful in taking 80 bases, 220 SAC positions and several towns by 28 November 2023.[45]
October and November 2023 saw a series of concurrent anti-SAC offensives, including Operation 1111 besieging the state capital of Loikaw and renewed conflict by anti-SAC forces in northern Rakhine and Chin states.[46][47] In Operation 1027, anti-SAC forces seized Laukkai, the capital of Kokang Self-Administered Zone, in early January 2024.[17] Operation 1027 continued past a ceasefire in northern Shan State with Mrauk U, among others, falling to Arakan Army in February 2024.[16] As of February 2024, thousands of the SAC's soldiers have surrendered without a fight, including six generals of the Tatmadaw.[48] The SAC used terror tactics against the population, including burnings, beheadings, mutilations, war rape, torching villages, and a massive aerial bombing campaign that has displaced nearly 3 million people.[49] The Myanmar Air Force has dropped more bombs per capita than have been dropped in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[41] A group of observers write that the SAC's forces remain "formidable and well-equipped", with "external allies and economic resources".[50][51]
In late March 2024 anti-SAC forces in southeastern Myanmar captured Demoso and Papun,[52][18] bringing the number of district-level towns captured by anti-SAC forces up to six. The seventh district-level town, Matupi, was captured by Chin resistance in mid June 2024.[20]