Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis continues to worsen, exacerbated by relentless airstrikes and natural disasters such as the recent earthquake that struck the Mandalay-Sagaing region at the end of March 2025. Despite public statements from both the military junta and various armed ethnic groups expressing support for a temporary ceasefire to facilitate relief efforts, these calls have not translated into a halt in violence. On the contrary, the breach of ceasefire mechanisms has only deepened the existing instability. The junta’s desperation to regain control over lost territories increasingly defines the country’s security landscape, particularly as its grip on key regions loosens. The 28 March Mandalay-Sagaing earthquake, which claimed more than 3,735 lives, injured 5,108 individuals, and left 120 people unaccounted for, has inflicted a significant toll on everyday life. The State Administration Council (SAC) announced a temporary ceasefire on 2 April, initially scheduled to last until 22 April and later extended through the end of May; however, in practice, aerial assaults have only intensified. Over 741 air attacks by the SAC have targeted civilian areas—including schools, homes, and religious institutions, resulting in at least 113 civilian casualties, many of them children.
Peace Promises, War Realities: Myanmar’s Spiral into Crisis (Sreeparna Banerjee – Observer Research Foundation)
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