United Nations: Myanmar army uses low-cost aircraft to kill civilians

A United Nations investigation concluded that the Myanmar military is increasingly using low-cost aircraft, such as motorized gliders and small helicopters, in escalating aerial attacks that are killing civilians in its conflict with armed anti-government groups, according to a report released on Tuesday.

In a separate development, one of the major ethnic armed groups fighting the government in Rakhine State said that 20 civilians were killed in military airstrikes during this month.

The Myanmar military government did not immediately respond to either the UN investigation or the allegations made by the group known as the Arakan Army.

The military has previously stated that it only targets legitimate military objectives, accusing armed fighters of being terrorists.

The report, issued by the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, established by the United Nations, provides details of a year-long investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Myanmar military and its affiliated militias, as well as by opposition armed groups.