A group that monitors armed conflict in Myanmar says an intensification of fighting in the Southeast Asian nation's civil war has resulted in a sharp increase in destructive attacks on schools. The group Myanmar Witness says it identified a total of 174 attacks on Myanmar schools and universities since the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi three years ago. It blames most of the destruction on airstrikes conducted by the Myanmar military, which have become more frequent as pro-democracy forces and ethnic minority armed groups allied with them have made gains on the battlefield. It says the attacks have further strained Myanmar’s already largely fractured school system, leaving millions of children without an education.
