More than 2.6 Million People Forced to Flee in War-torn Myanmar

More than 2.6 Million People Forced to Flee in War-torn Myanmar

Over 2.6 million individuals have faced displacement due to the armed conflicts and strife resulting from the military coup, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in Myanmar.

Due to conflicts spurred by the coup, almost two million people have fled their homes, with an additional 600,000 estimated to be newly displaced by the 'Operation 1027,'resulting in a total of 2.6 million people currently displaced across Myanmar.

Apart from the clashes between the Junta troops and the armed forces, aerial strikes and artillery bombardments conducted by the coup regime in different regions of the country have led to many civilian casualties and the mass displacement of residents.

UNOCHA-Myanmar reports that unverified field information suggests a minimum of 378 civilians, comprising men, women, and children, have lost their lives, while 505 individuals have sustained injuries since the escalating of clashes commenced in late October.

Since the intensification of conflicts in that time, over 660,000 people are estimated to have been newly displaced in the regions of northern and southern Shan State, as well as in Kayah, Rakhine, Chin States and Sagaing, Mandalay, eastern Bago, Kayin, Mon, and Tanintharyi Regions.

Of those displaced in northern Shan State, many are apprehensive about the possibility of being forcibly recruited by the weakened Junta Army.

UNOCHA-Myanmar has reported a sharp increase in commodity prices in Rakhine State, attributing it to shortages of goods amid the ongoing armed conflicts in the region.

According to UNOCHA-Myanmar’s statement, the displaced population is currently facing critical needs for essential humanitarian assistance, including food, shelter, health services, and civilian safety.

The Institute for Strategy and Policy – Myanmar (ISP-Myanmar), a research group has reported a higher figure that puts the internal displacement since the coup to over 4 million people, with the highest concentration in Sagaing Region.

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