Overview
- The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar published its yearlong report on Tuesday, Aug. 11, documenting a clear rise in deliberate aerial attacks from July 2025 to June 2026.
- Investigators say the military used low-cost aircraft such as paramotors, gyrocopters and drones for low-altitude strikes, including alleged engine-cut glide approaches and 'double-tap' attacks that leave civilians little warning.
- The IIMM documented repeated strikes on homes, schools, hospitals, religious sites and camps for internally displaced people, and it is collecting evidence on the command structure and munitions used.
- The report records widespread arbitrary detention, torture and sexual violence in military-run facilities and cites arrests made under a 2025 law that criminalises criticism of the election.
- The investigators are assembling material for future prosecutions even as they warn that funding cuts are reducing their capacity, and they are also examining alleged abuses by anti-junta armed groups and the sharp escalation of fighting in Rakhine State.