Myanmar Mass Killings

The Myanmar junta engaged in a series of mass killings, which led to the deaths of 40 civilians.

• What happened? In July 2021, four mass killings were carried out by soldiers in the Kani Township in Myanmar. The region is known as a stronghold for opposition of the currently ruling military.
• The BBC spoke to many eye witnesses and survivors in Kani, comparing the accounts to graphic on the ground mobile footage that has also emerged over the past months.
• In the village of Yin, the greatest number of people were murdered. Over 14 men were tortured or beaten to death and their bodies were discarded of in a forested area on the outskirts of town.
• Female witnesses watched their fathers, brothers and sons being brutally abused for hours before they died. If the witnesses begged them to stop, they threatened them with the same treatment.
• Why did this happen? It is believed that the killings were a collective punishment carried out across the district for attacks deployed by the civilian militia - they wanted a return to democracy.
• Who carried out the attacks? It has been reported that many soldiers were as young as 17 and a number of them were much older.
• When survivors pleaded with the soldiers it was reported that their response was "Don't say anything. We are tired. We will kill you."
• What is being done by the international community? The UN is currently investigating the reports of such alleged human rights abuses carried out by the Myanmar military.