OSLO: More than 6,000 civilians were killed in Myanmar in the first 20 months after the February 2021 military coup, a report published Tuesday by the Peace Research Institute of Oslo said.
“Our data shows that the human toll of the conflict is higher than previously reported, and while the junta is clearly the main killer, anti-junta forces also have large amounts of blood on their hands,” Stein Tonnesson, one of the two co-authors of the report, said in a statement.
The report said 6,337 civilians were killed “for political reasons” between February 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022, and 2,614 were injured.
That toll is much higher than others that have circulated, including those from international organizations.
According to the report, almost half of the deaths, 3,003, were attributed to the regime – the army, police and militias – while 2,152 were attributed to armed opposition groups.
Twelve were attributed to other civilians not affiliated with either the regime or opponents, and 1,170 to undetermined actors.
“This is a larger number than is normally cited in the media, and yet it is only an estimate, based on reported killings gathered from reliable media reports,” the report said.
“The actual total is surely higher since many killings have likely gone unreported.”
Alleging massive fraud, the Myanmar military annulled the legislative elections won by Aung San Suu Kyi’s party and overthrew her government.
Since then, the junta has carried out a large-scale repression of any opposition, arresting more than 23,000 people according to a local watchdog.
6,000 Myanmar civilians killed in 20 months post coup: report
https://arab.news/nuynw
6,000 Myanmar civilians killed in 20 months post coup: report
- Death toll is much higher than others that have circulated, including those from international organizations
Greece warns shipping fleet of risks after Black Sea drone attacks
- Greek-operated ships are among the world’s largest fleets of tankers and are pivotal for trade across the Black Sea region
- War insurance costs for ships sailing to the Black Sea have jumped this week
ATHENS: Greece has warned its shipping fleet to review their security measures when sailing to Russian Black Sea ports after drone attacks on two Greek-operated tankers this week, according to shipping ministry adviseries.
Drones struck two oil tankers on Tuesday, including one chartered by US oil major Chevron, as they sailed toward a Black Sea terminal on Russia’s Black Sea coast.
Greek-operated ships are among the world’s largest fleets of tankers and are pivotal for trade across the Black Sea region, whose waters are shared by Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania and Turkiye, as well as warring Russia and Ukraine.
“It is recommended that the security managers of shipping companies, the masters and the security officers of Greek ships proceed with an updated threat assessment for commercial ships located in the Black Sea and the maritime areas close to it,” the shipping ministry said in one of the documents seen by Reuters that were issued after the attacks.
War insurance costs for ships sailing to the Black Sea have jumped this week, reflecting the worsening risk environment.
One of the tankers targeted on Tuesday was Matilda, which was managed by Greece’s Thenamaris and hit by two drones.
While there were no injuries or serious damage to the vessel, a Thenamaris official said that the company had since then stepped up additional precautionary security measures and advised crew on their vessels to increase vigilance and avoid unnecessary exposure, mainly movement on the deck.
The ministry referred shipping companies to an earlier document published in April 2022 that recommended that additional protective security measures be maintained for a certain period as a result of increased risk for the Russian Black Sea ports of Novorossiysk, Taman, Tuapse and Kavkaz.
