Myanmar Military Escalates Violence, Plans 2025 Election Amid Ethnic Conflict

Myanmar is preparing to hold its first general election since the 2021 military coup, scheduled to start in December 2025, despite ongoing civil war and widespread conflict across the country. The military junta, which overthrew the elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, is widely expected to manage the election to maintain its grip on power, excluding key opposition parties such as the National League for Democracy. Ethnic armed organizations like the Arakan Army and Kachin Independence Army control large territories and have declared they will not allow voting in their areas, contributing to the challenge of conducting a credible election amid ongoing violence and instability. India has signaled support for the election by planning to send monitoring teams, and China has also pledged backing for the electoral preparations, despite international criticism that the elections are a sham. Meanwhile, the military’s loss of control in several regions has intensified tensions among ethnic armed groups competing for influence and resources, complicating prospects for peace. The UN reports continued atrocities by the military regime, particularly against the Rohingya minority, with thousands killed, villages destroyed, and large-scale displacement persisting since the coup.