Report on Civilian Casualties in Tanintharyi Region
24 October 2025
Key Messages
- From February 2021 to August 2025, a total of 917 civilians were killed and 842 were injured in Tanintharyi Region due to violent incidents.
- 749 civilian deaths were caused by targeted killings by armed organizations, with 85 percent of the victims being men.
- 103 deaths resulted from heavy weapons, drones, mines, and air strikes, and 42 percent of these victims were women and children.
- The majority of civilian casualty incidents occurred within a 20-mile radius of the towns of Dawei, Palaw, and Tanintharyi, which are located along the Union Highway.
- The 18 months from April 2022 to September 2023 were the months with the most intense conflict, during which 499 civilians were killed.
- Armed organizations need to halt targeted of civilians and adhere to military codes of conduct. Public awareness campaigns and humanitarian assistance are needed to reduce civilian casualties.
Background
Following the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, the incidence of violent conflict escalated, leading to a surge in civilian casualties. The number of civilian casualties varies by region, depending on the intensity of conflict and the form of violence used during the conflict period.
There remains an urgent need for relevant organizations to make concerted efforts to reduce civilian casualties during both conflict and post-conflict periods. Data for Myanmar (D4M) is sharing data to inform the public and policymakers about the status of civilian casualties in specific regions. This report analyzes the situation of civilian casualties within the Tanintharyi Region.
Tanintharyi, located in the southern part of Myanmar, is an economically significant region where agriculture, fisheries, mining, pearl farming, tourism, and border trade are the main industries. The Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project, the Thailand-Myanmar gas pipeline, and tin mines are situated within Dawei District. In 2025, when border trade through Myawaddy in Karen State halted, the Myanmar military prioritized the Ranong-Kawthoung-Yangon maritime trade route.
After the military coup in February 2021, anti-coup demonstrations were strong in Tanintharyi Region, resulting in over 20 deaths from crackdowns, arrests, and killings. Following the worsening COVID-19 pandemic, the arrest of strike leaders, and continued suppression, the momentum of demonstrations gradually subsided starting in August 2021.
Subsequently, anti-coup revolutionary forces emerged one after another in the Tanintharyi Region, working to gain territorial control at the local level. They also began cooperating with local ethnic armed organizations already active within the region. The Myanmar Army, in response, formed Pyusawhti groups (pro-military militias) to reinforce territorial control and conducted military clearance operations.
It is observed that military intensity and civilian deaths are particularly high in townships within Dawei and Myeik Districts. Targeted attacks by local revolutionary forces against village administrators, Pyusawhti members, and alleged informants resulted in high death tolls in 2022 and 2023. There were also incidents where Pyusawhti and Myanmar military troops engaged in burning down villages and shooting civilians. Additionally, there were incidents where some passenger vehicles were mistakenly fired upon by revolutionary organizations. Furthermore, casualties resulted from the detonation of landmines, homemade bombs, and unexploded ordnance (UXO).
The main factor driving civilian deaths in Tanintharyi Region is targeted killings of civilians by armed organizations (Violence Against Civilians). Armed organizations must halt these targeted killings and adhere to military codes of conduct. Furthermore, there is a critical need for widespread public awareness campaigns regarding the risks associated with mines and unexploded ordnance.
