On Aug. 23, 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed significant economic sanctions on Myanmar in response to the Junta’s violent use of airstrikes against its citizens. These sanctions targeted foreign individuals or entities supplying the fuel to launch these attacks. Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson stated that this action aimed to “further deprive the regime of the resources that enable it to oppress its citizens” and reaffirm America’s commitment to supporting the people of Myanmar. Despite these measures, the frequency and scale of these airstrikes have increased.

An article by Nikkei Asia, published on July 8, 2024, claimed that between January and April this year, the Myanmar military launched 819 airstrikes, killing 359 civilians and wounding another 756, including women and children. This amounts to an estimated average of nearly seven airstrikes per day during this period. They predict that if this trend continues, the total number of airstrikes 2024 could be the highest since the Junta seized power in February 2021.*