DVB documents 122 people killed by aerial attacks since April 10

At least 122 individuals have been killed and 240 others have been injured in 219 aerial attacks, which includes airstrikes, gyrocopter, motorized paraglider and drone, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), attacks carried out by regime forces nationwide since Min Aung Hlaing was inaugurated as Burma’s president by a pro-military parliament on April 10 following elections called a “sham” by the U.N. and several western countries.

One civilian and one Buddhist nun were injured by airstrikes in Sharbinkyun village on May 15, the People’s Defence Force (PDF) in Sagaing Region’s Chaung-U Township told DVB. Chaung-U is located 16 miles (25 km) south of Sagaing Region’s capital Monywa. At least 34 individuals were killed and 79 others were injured in 62 aerial attacks in Sagaing Region since April 10, according to DVB data. 

Chin State followed Sagaing Region as the second hardest-hit state or region with 34 aerial attacks that killed at least 26 people and injured 12 others. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) records that 6,300 military air and drone strikes have resulted in at least 4,700 fatalities from Feb. 1, 2021 to Jan. 23, 2026.Discover our airstrikes dashboard here

Yangon factory warns workers to return or lose jobs

The Nay Shwe Win garment factory in Yangon’s Wataya Industrial Zone, located in Shwepyitha Township, announced on Saturday that the 85 workers who went on strike following the dismissal of 19 of their colleagues must return to work by May 18 or be regarded as having “voluntarily quit” from their jobs. The factory stated that the 19 workers were dismissed on May 9 due to a shortage of orders and raw materials.

A worker told DVB on the condition of anonymity that those dismissed on May 9 included key union members and leaders, adding that the factory refused to pay severance compensation. A labor activist told DVB on the condition of anonymity that the 19 workers had submitted an application to form a union with the regime’s Labor Department on March 23 but were dismissed after the factory owner learned about the effort.

The Solidarity Trade Union of Myanmar (STUM) condemned the targeted firing of union leaders, claiming that this violates International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 87, which grants workers freedom of association and the right to unionize. Burma has been a member of the ILO since its independence in 1948. The Nay Shwe Win garment factory employs around 700 workers, according to the STUM.

Hnin Win, the founder of arts collective A New Burma, showed the “Unforgettable” exhibit on Myanmar airstrikes to attendees on May 15. (Credit: DVB)

Art exhibit spotlights rising toll of airstrikes

An exhibition held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, May 15-16 titled “Unforgettable,” brought together artists, activists, humanitarian workers, and the public to confront the devastating human cost of aerial attacks in neighboring Burma. Panel discussions featured frontline aid workers, human rights advocates, and emergency responders with firsthand accounts of the immense challenges of documenting war crimes.

“We created this particular event, a two-day event, so that we could continue talking about what’s happening in Myanmar, especially the topic of airstrikes,” said Hnin Win, the founder of arts collective A New Burma. “Airstrikes are becoming so normal and numb. It’s a topic that people don’t want to bring up because it’s too traumatizing…We still want people to not forget about these airstrikes that are happening daily.”

“Unforgettable” aimed to amplify the voices and experiences of civilians enduring daily airstrikes, displacement, and widespread destruction using photos, art, and meticulous documentation. The exhibit builds upon an earlier collaboration between A New Burma and research group Nyan Lynn Thit Analytica from 2024, but emphasized that the situation across the border has deteriorated significantly over the past two years.
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News by Region

ARAKAN—The Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK (BROUK) accused the Arakan Army (AA) of sexual violence against Rohingya women and girls in Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships between May 2024 and April 2026 in a report released on Thursday. The two towns are located north of the state capital Sittwe.

“The world said ‘Never Again’ after the genocide against the Rohingya, yet Rohingya women and girls are once again being abandoned to violence, fear and impunity,” said Tun Khin, the BROUK President. The AA has seized control of 14 out of 17 townships since it launched an offensive in November 2023. 

MAGWAY—A resident of Saw Township told DVB that around 3,000 residents have fled their homes since May 12 due to three regime columns advancing towards Chin State’s Mindat Township via Saw, which is located 32-130 miles (51-209 km) southeast of Mindat and northwest of the region’s capital Magway.

Another resident told DVB that they are in urgent need of food and shelter materials as trade has stopped due to the ongoing regime counteroffensive. The PDF stated on May 13 that around 1,000 regime troops have reached Saw. A military analyst told DVB that this is to “besiege’ resistance forces in Mindat. 

NAYPYIDAW—An “Anti-Online Scam Bill,” introduced on Thursday, proposes the death penalty for individuals who use violence, torture, or unlawful detention to traffic victims into cyber scam operations. The draft law will be voted on when parliament reconvenes in the first week of June, regime media reported. 

The draft law, which consists of 13 chapters and 63 sections, is the first legislation introduced by the regime. A nationwide crackdown against cyber scam and gambling operations in Burma was launched in April due to pressure from the U.S. and China. It has led to arrests in Shan and Karen states. 

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