Major disasters that cause unfathomable devastation, usually cause a shake-up and restore peace to areas torn by conflict, but not in Myanmar where the military junta continued airstrikes on rebel-held areas even after more than 1,600 people were killed in the devastating earthquake, and that too within hours of the tragedy. The UN has described the attacks as “completely outrageous and unacceptable”.

The UN special rapporteur on Myanmar, Tom Andrews, condemned the military government’s continued attacks on resistance-held areas.
Andrews said at least three air strikes were carried out on the Sagain region—near the epicentre of the earthquake, and a rebel stronghold.

Andrews told the BBC that it was “nothing short of incredible” that the military was continuing to “drop bombs when you are trying to rescue people” after the earthquake. He called on the military regime to stop all military operations.
“Anyone who has influence on the military needs to step up the pressure and make it very clear that this is not acceptable,” he said.
“I’m calling upon the junta to just stop, stop any of its military operations,” he added.

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Seven people were killed in an air strike in Naungcho in northern Shan state around 15:30 local time, less than three hours after the quake struck, confirmed BBC Burmese. 
Pro-democracy rebel groups fighting to remove the military from power reported aerial bombings in Chang-U township in the north-western Sagaing region, the epicentre of the quake. There are also reports of airstrikes in regions near the Thai border.

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, Julie Bishop, urged both sides to lay down their arms and allow help to reach those hit by the earthquake.

The National Unity Government (NUG), which represents the ousted civilian administration, said that its armed forces would begin a two-week pause in “offensive military operations, except for defensive actions” in areas affected by the earthquake, from Sunday.

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The 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Sagaing caused massive destruction in nearby Mandalay—the second largest city—as well as the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, which is more than 150 miles (241km) away.
The junta says 1,644 people are known to have died and many more are believed to be trapped under rubble.

The military coup in 2021 has triggered mass protests across Myanmar as thousands hit the streets demanding restoration of civilian rule.
The protests evolved into widespread insurgency involving pro-democracy and ethnic rebel groups, eventually leading to a civil war and violent fighting has continued between the military and armed resistance groups.

The junta has suffered embarrassing defeats and lost vast swathes of territory and is since relying more on air attacks to crush resistance.
Large parts of the Sagaing region, the earthquake epicentre, are now under the control of pro-democracy groups.
Ethnic armies and resistance groups control 42 per cent of Myanmar’s territory, says BBC report.

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The military regime has the upper hand in aerial combat and has earlier carried out indiscriminate aerial bombardments destroying schools, monasteries, churches, and hospitals. More than 170 people, including many women and children, were killed in one of the airstrikes.

The military has been getting support from Russia and China as both have sold sophisticated attack jets to the junta and provided training despite UN calls for an arms embargo.
Russia and China have also now sent aid and rescue teams into Myanmar, but there is concern that the junta will use aid as a weapon in the civil war. 

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“What we know from past humanitarian disasters, natural disasters, is that the junta does not reveal the truth. It also has a habit of blocking humanitarian aid from getting to where it is most needed,” Andrews said.
“They weaponise this aid. They send it to those areas that they have control of and they deny it to areas that they do not. I’m afraid I’m fully expecting that that will be the case with this disaster.”