Back to Globe
Myanmar Civil War & Rohingya Crisis
Humanitarian & Conflict

Myanmar Civil War & Rohingya Crisis

Severity
9/10
Impact
18.0Mpeople
Trend
worsening
Region
Myanmar, Bangladesh
The Myanmar civil war, ongoing since the 2021 military coup, has intensified into 2026, with the State Administration Council (SAC) junta controlling only 21% of territory while resistance forces including the People's Defence Force (PDF), National Unity Government (NUG), and ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) like the Arakan Army (AA), Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), and Kachin Independence Army (KIA) hold 42%, and the remainder contested. Operation 1027 gains persist, with AA controlling most of Rakhine including Ann's Western Command (Dec 2024) and Mrauk-U, Three Brotherhood Alliance seizing Lashio and Mogoke in Shan (2024), and advances toward Mandalay; junta counteroffensives include airstrikes on civilians. Junta-held sham elections from December 2025-January 2026, boycotted by opposition and limited to select areas, saw 408 air attacks killing 170 civilians, arrests of 404 for dissent, and violence like a January 22, 2026, Kachin airstrike killing 50; NLD and others banned. Escalating airstrikes target civilian areas, hospitals, and schools as war crimes, with UN noting deepening crisis five years post-coup, mass displacement over 3 million, and 18 million needing aid amid food insecurity; Spring Revolution Alliance formed mid-December 2025 uniting 19 factions. Rohingya crisis in Rakhine persists separately, with over 1 million refugees in Bangladesh camps; no recent repatriation amid AA control. Junta relies on air superiority and 'Three Alls' counterinsurgency in Bamar heartlands like Sagaing, Magwe, Mandalay, tying down troops amid resistance gains in Kayah, Karen, Chin, Kachin.

Recent Developments

01December 2025-January 2026 sham elections marked by 408 military air attacks killing 170 civilians and 404 arrests for dissent

02January 22, 2026 airstrike in Kachin State's Bhamo Township killed up to 50 civilians

03Mid-December 2025 formation of Spring Revolution Alliance uniting 19 armed factions

Interventions

  • UN Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar probing war crimes, crimes against humanity by military and some opposition groups
  • EAOs and PDF coordinating offensives like Operation 1027 expansions in Shan, Rakhine, Kayah

What Works

  • Coordinated ethnic armed alliances like Three Brotherhood (AA, MNDAA, TNLA) capturing key cities and outposts, holding 42% territory
  • Spring Revolution Alliance sidestepping mistrust to unite 19 factions for broader resistance

How to Help

  • Donate to UN agencies and NGOs aiding displaced and food insecure populations
  • Support Human Rights Watch and Independent Investigative Mechanism for accountability
  • Advocate for international pressure on junta via representatives and ASEAN

Donate by Watching

Watch 6 ads to donate $0.05

Progress0/6 ads

Make an Impact

Donate directly to 13 verified organizations working on this crisis. Every contribution makes a difference.

Donate to Organizations ↓

Coming soon: one-click donations distributed across all organizations via our impact protocol.

Raise Awareness

Can't donate? You can still make a huge impact. Join others in amplifying this cause globally by sharing it with your network.

Verified Organizations

Organizations Helping(14)

UNHCR is mitigating flood risks in Rohingya refugee camps by pre-positioning humanitarian supplies such as tarpaulins, rope to secure shelters, sleeping mats, water purification tablets, and jerrycans ahead of the monsoon season to protect displaced populations from floods and landslides.

World Vision responds to the Southeast Asia monsoon and cyclone crisis through emergency relief operations including distribution of food, clean water, hygiene kits, and shelter materials. They establish temporary learning spaces for displaced children, provide psychosocial support to trauma-affected populations, and work on water and sanitation infrastructure restoration. Their approach combines immediate humanitarian aid with longer-term community resilience building through disaster risk reduction training and livelihood recovery programs in affected regions of Indonesia, Thailand, and other impacted countries.

Save the Children tackles the health crisis by supporting primary health care centers, treating malnutrition and infectious diseases like cholera, measles, and malaria in displacement camps, and providing vaccinations and maternal/child health services in Darfur, Khartoum, and eastern Sudan. They operate mobile clinics and supply chains to reach areas with collapsed infrastructure, addressing outbreaks and serving millions of displaced children.

The ICRC supports hospitals in conflict-affected areas by providing essential medical supplies, funding running costs, and aiding in the delivery of care amid widespread facility closures (70-80% non-functional). For instance, they supplied Al Saudi Hospital in Al Fasher—the last functioning civilian hospital—before its January 2025 attack, helping sustain services for thousands despite looting, violence against staff, and denial of access.

Sources & Citations

Related Crises