UN Expert Tells General Assembly Committee Myanmar Conflict Deaths Have Passed 100,000 Since the Coup

What happened

Kelley Anne Eckels-Currie, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, told the UN General Assembly's Third Committee on October 27, 2026 that the country had passed "a grim milestone: more than 100,000 conflict-related deaths since the coup, the vast majority of which were civilians" ^[1]. The figure is the Special Rapporteur's; the UN summary does not say how it was compiled ^[1]. She also said the military had stepped up airstrikes and shelling during the 100-day plan announced by military leader Min Aung Hlaing ^[1][2].

Nicholas Koumjian, Head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, described a bombing at a Rakhine State market that left over 50 people dead, and said his team holds material from over 1,600 sources and over 750 witness testimonies ^[1]. Myanmar's own delegate denounced the junta's bombing campaign, while delegates for the Russian Federation, and separately for China, pushed back on the UN findings ^[1].

The same meeting heard Yasmin Sooka, Chair of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan, warn that "Elections under these conditions risk triggering a wider war" ^[1].

How it affects Americans

The United States came up directly in the session. Eckels-Currie, who said she once worked on the committee as an American diplomat, told members that, outside the region, the US and others appear to be following the lead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in dealing with the military government ^[2]. Julie Bishop, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar, cited a United States presidential determination listing Myanmar as having "failed demonstrably" on counter-narcotics, and said the drug trade from the region has global implications ^[2]. Myanmar's representative urged States to stop supplying jet fuel, weapons and money to the military ^[1].

The Veil Press view

The 100,000 figure comes from a UN expert, and delegates for the Russian Federation, as well as China's speaker, rejected the UN's assessments in the same meeting ^[1]. Readers should treat the number as the Special Rapporteur's estimate. Bishop called it indisputable that Rohingya have fled Rakhine; Bangladesh reports hosting 1.3 million Rohingya from Myanmar, she said ^[1].

What we know

Confirmed

• The Special Rapporteur told the Third Committee that Myanmar had passed more than 100,000 conflict-related deaths since the coup ^[1][2].
• Koumjian described a Rakhine State market bombing that left over 50 people dead ^[1].
• Delegates for the Russian Federation, and separately for China, disputed the UN findings ^[1].
• Sooka warned that South Sudan's elections risk triggering a wider war ^[1].

Still being reported

• No breakdown of the 100,000 figure by year or region was given in the meetings coverage ^[1].