Myanmar has endured the world's longest ongoing civil war, spanning nearly eight decades.
Since gaining independence in 1948, Myanmar has been locked in a persistent, complex conflict. Driven by ethnic tensions and a struggle for federal autonomy, the nation’s military, the Tatmadaw, has faced decades of resistance from various armed groups, culminating in a volatile landscape that continues to evolve today.
The roots of the conflict trace back to the failure of the 1947 Panglong Agreement, which promised autonomy to ethnic minorities but was abandoned after the assassination of Aung San. Following independence in 1948, the Communist Party of Burma and the Karen National Union emerged as primary rebel forces. The situation intensified in 1962 when General Ne Win seized power in a military coup, rejecting federalism and establishing a long-standing junta. Under his 26-year dictatorship, Myanmar became an isolated state, marked by failed peace talks and the violent suppression of the 1988 8888 Uprising, where estimates suggest over 3,000 people were killed.
The political landscape shifted in 2011 with the introduction of a new constitution and limited reforms, though the military retained significant legislative power. This fragile period ended abruptly on 1 February 2021, when Senior General Min Aung Hlaing led a coup, deposing the civilian government. The move sparked widespread protests and a surge in armed resistance. Demonstrators, initially using makeshift weapons, sought training from established insurgent groups, while the government-in-exile, the National Unity Government, formed the People's Defence Force to challenge the junta.
Today, the conflict remains deeply fragmented. While the military has historically weakened ethnic insurgent groups through offensives and forced displacements, the 2021 coup has revitalized opposition. Groups like the Karen National Union and the Kachin Independence Army have escalated attacks, and new factions, such as the People's Liberation Army, have emerged. With ACLED estimating 11,000 deaths between February and December 2021 alone, the struggle for a federal union continues to define the nation's trajectory, as the military junta faces unprecedented, countrywide resistance from a coalition of civilian and ethnic forces.
Source: Myanmar conflict
