‘Blocked Aid, Unbroken People’ highlights worsening aid crisis amid Myanmar military violence

What happened

A joint briefing paper released by nine civil society organizations, reported by DVB English, reveals a rapidly deepening humanitarian crisis in Myanmar's central Dry Zone. The report, titled “Blocked Aid, Unbroken People,” states the military has expanded its brutal Four Cuts strategy across Sagaing, Magwe, and Mandalay regions, using airstrikes, arson, and landmines to target civilians and infrastructure.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. Since the February 2021 coup, the military regime has escalated ‘mass-barrage airstrikes’ employing fighter jets, drones, and other aerial devices specifically against civilian targets, according to the report. Arson has destroyed over 121,000 homes nationwide, with Sagaing Region experiencing the most destruction, accounting for over 63% of homes razed. The military's use of internationally banned anti-personnel landmines has also made Myanmar the deadliest country globally for landmine casualties.

The sustained violence has forced over 3.7 million people to flee their homes, with more than 1.3 million displaced in Sagaing Region alone, as noted by UN displacement figures cited in the report. Humanitarian aid is severely blocked by the military regime, worsening hunger and basic needs; the World Food Programme warns that more than 12 million people in Myanmar will face acute hunger in 2026.

Known from the source

• Report by nine civil society organizations titled 'Blocked Aid, Unbroken People' highlights worsening humanitarian conditions in central Myanmar's Dry Zone.
• Military regime has intensified use of airstrikes, arson, and landmines in Sagaing, Magwe, and Mandalay regions since the 2021 coup.
• Over 121,000 civilian homes destroyed by military and militias, with Sagaing accounting for 63% of those losses.
• Myanmar is currently the deadliest country globally for landmine casualties.
• UN estimates over 3.7 million internally displaced persons across Myanmar; over 1.3 million displaced in Sagaing region alone.

What remains unclear

Despite these challenges, local civil society groups continue to provide emergency food, cash, and medical supplies, often navigating active conflict zones. The report highlights how communities have started their own essential services, including education centers, mobile libraries, and healthcare clinics to fill gaps caused by destroyed infrastructure and blocked international aid.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Verification of specifics on military use of airstrikes, drones, gyrocopters, and paramotors targeting civilians beyond the report’s claims. Validation of the 121,000 homes destroyed figure and regional breakdown. Independent confirmation of landmine casualty statistics and the extent of contamination.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: DVB English. Open the source.