Recent fierce fighting between Myanmar’s army and local militant groups has killed at least 26 civilians, including six children, in area east of the capital, according to reports Wednesday by a resident, a rights group and a medical assistance group.
The fighting took place in Shan State’s Pekon township, a hotly contested area in the armed struggle that arose after February 2021 when the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The takeover prompted widespread public protests, whose violent suppression by the security forces triggered an armed resistance that now spans much of the country.
