Death Toll Surpasses 100,000 in Myanmar Conflict
The death toll in Myanmar’s civil war, which erupted following the 2021 military coup, has surpassed 114,000, according to data released by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). The United Nations reports that over 3.7 million people have been internally displaced, and more than one in five citizens face severe food insecurity. In February 2024, the military administration imposed mandatory conscription, enlisting approximately 50,000 civilians into the armed forces, further escalating the war risks.
June 17, Yangon — The number of fatalities in Myanmar’s civil war, which began after the 2021 military coup, has exceeded 100,000. ACLED, an organization documenting conflict events, states that at least 114,000 people from all sides have lost their lives. Analysts consider this the deadliest active conflict currently in Asia.
In February 2021, the military leadership overthrew the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. Subsequent crackdowns on pro-democracy protests escalated into armed rebellion, with pro-democracy groups aligning with ethnic armed organizations to combat the military forces. To date, ACLED reports over 1,200 active armed groups.
The conflict has profoundly affected civilians’ lives. Thein Ae Nu, 49, from Rakhine State, who lost her husband in an airstrike, shared her immense grief and expressed that she has reached a point where she can no longer hold anyone accountable. Another resident from the Magway region lamented that after his teenage son’s death—who participated in the pro-democracy rebellion—they could not even perform proper religious rites due to the war.
The United Nations states that more than 3.7 million people are internally displaced in Myanmar, with over one in five suffering from critical food insecurity. Targeted killings have taken place in areas including Yangon, while regular aerial attacks by fighter jets supplied by Russia and China continue in other regions.
According to ACLED, Myanmar became the world’s second most conflict-affected country after the Palestinian territories in 2025. Despite notable successes by rebel groups towards the end of 2023, analysts point to the military strengthening its control through Chinese support and agreements with certain ethnic armed groups.
Following the mandatory military conscription imposed in February 2024, approximately 50,000 civilians were incorporated into the army. Former soldiers report that many conscripts, sent to the front lines without proper training, face a heightened risk of death in combat.
As a result of the war, refugee numbers have risen in neighboring Thailand and Bangladesh. Additionally, the border areas have seen rapid expansion of illegal drug production, trafficking, and online scam centers operating under the protection of armed groups.