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Myanmar's Brutal Civil War Rages as Military Tightens Grip

Five years after the military coup, the junta is regaining ground against rebel factions through drone warfare and forced conscription.

Foreign PolicyPublished June 9, 2026 at 9:04 PM
Sommerville and the young rebels on an open top vehicle driving through jungle

Five years after the military leadership seized control of Myanmar, the nation remains mired in a devastating civil war that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions. While rebel groups once enjoyed a series of tactical victories, the tide has shifted in favor of the military junta.

The regime has successfully utilized increased drone capabilities and aggressive forced conscription to regain the offensive across much of the country. Reporting from the ground, the BBC’s Quentin Sommerville bypassed government restrictions to embed with rebel fighters in Bago and Karen states.

His observations confirm that the initial momentum of the resistance has stalled, leaving the country in a precarious state of instability as the military consolidates its power through force.

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