More than 100,000 people have died in Myanmar's civil conflict since the 2021 military coup, highlighting the devastating toll of nearly five years of fighting.

According to RFI, conflict monitor Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) said that at least 100,114 conflict-related deaths have been recorded since the military seized power in February 2021, overthrowing the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

The coup sparked nationwide protests, which were met with a violent crackdown. Many pro-democracy activists later took up arms, joining ethnic armed organisations that have fought Myanmar's military for decades.

While there is no official death toll, analysts consider Myanmar's civil war to be the deadliest active conflict in Asia. ACLED said the country was the world's second-most conflict-affected region last year after the Palestinian territories and described the war as the most fragmented globally, involving more than 1,200 armed groups.

The conflict has displaced more than 3.7mn people, according to the United Nations, while over one in five residents face severe food insecurity as economic conditions continue to deteriorate.

Fighting remains widespread, with frequent air strikes, artillery attacks and clashes reported across much of the country. Although rebel groups made significant territorial gains during an offensive launched in late 2023, analysts say the military has recently regained momentum following increased support from China and ceasefire agreements with several powerful ethnic armed groups.

In an effort to strengthen its forces, the military introduced compulsory conscription in February 2024, aiming to recruit 50,000 people.

The conflict has also fuelled a growing refugee crisis in neighbouring countries and contributed to the expansion of cross-border criminal activities, including drug trafficking and online scam operations in Myanmar's border regions.