The UNSG’s Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric described the humanitarian context as desperate.

“We are seeing an upturn in combats, and meanwhile we are not seeing the release of those political prisoners we want to see, including the former President Win Myint, and Aung San Suu Kyi,” Dujarric said at her briefing.

Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk assured that the crisis in Myanmar will only be solved by insisting on accountability for military leaders, the release of political prisoners and the restoration of civilian rule.

Türk urged the international community for taking appropriate measures to tackle down on this crisis, including the possibility of imposing further targeted sanctions on the military to limit its ability to commit serious violations.

Fighting between the military and armed opposition groups resulted in massive displacement and civilian casualties in Myanmar, while waves of indiscriminate aerial bombardment and artillery attacks continue following recent battlefield setbacks.

omr/npg/ebr