ISTANBUL

 The UK remains "deeply concerned" about ongoing violence in Myanmar, the country's acting permanent representative to the UN told reporters Monday ahead of a closed Security Council session on the situation.

"The military must de-escalate and cease its violence, including air strikes on civilians. Targeted attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure must stop," Ambassador James Kariuki said.

"We strongly condemn the recent airstrike on the hospital in Rakhine state this month, which killed more than 30 civilians," he added.

A report prepared by special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar indicates that the military junta continued its airstrikes against civilians in 2025.

Kariuki said Myanmar's humanitarian situation remains catastrophic, with more than 16 million people requiring life-saving assistance in 2026.

The UK has provided more than $100 million this fiscal year, but financial support can only have real impact if access is granted, he noted.

Approximately 21.9 million people, or 40% of Myanmar's population, currently require humanitarian assistance, according to UN data.

Kariuki said any "meaningful" election requires an end to violence and dialogue among all parties concerned, warning "there are no indications" that the planned elections will be perceived as "free or fair."

"Elections under current circumstances risk provoking further violence and make a long-term solution more elusive," he said.

In July, the military announced a nominal transfer of power to a civilian-led interim administration ahead of planned elections in December and January, although the junta chief remains the acting president.

The UK also reiterated support for ASEAN's central role in pursuing a solution to the ongoing crisis.

UN Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop and ASEAN Special Envoy Tan Sri Othman Hashim are expected to brief the council.

Ethnic clashes have intensified Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis as the country remains engulfed in civil conflict nearly four years after the February 2021 military coup.

The 2021 military takeover ousted the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi's National League of Democracy, and plunged the country into more than four years of emergency rule.

More than 6,000 people have since been killed and nearly 3 million displaced due to fighting between the junta and opposition groups, according to rights monitors.

"We stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and their desire for peaceful, inclusive and democratic future," Kariuki said. "We will keep the Myanmar crisis on the council's agenda."