Naypyitaw [Myanmar], January 2 (ANI): More than five dozen civilians have been killed and tens of thousands displaced due to clashes between Myanmar's military and anti-junta forces in four of Myanmar's s remote border regions in December.

At least 61 people died and more than 40,000 fled fighting this month the 10th since the military seized power from the democratically elected National League for Democracy (NLD) government in a February 1 coup last year in Kayah and Kayin states, as well as in Sagaing and Magway regions, according to Radio Free Asia.

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The Military junta says voter fraud led to the NLD's landslide victory in the country's November 2020 election but has yet to provide evidence for its claims and has violently suppressed nationwide protests calling for a return to civilian rule, killing 1,382 people and arresting 8,331 in the nearly 11 months since, according to the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

The military has also launched several offensives in the country's remote border regions, battling ethnic armies and local branches of the pro-democracy People's Defense Force militia that have formed to help protect residents. Many civilians have lost their lives in the crossfire, while reports of looting, torture, rape, and summary executions by junta troops are common, according to Radio Free Asia.

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Sources estimate that in December alone, more than 40,000 people were displaced in Kayah and Kayin states as well as in Sagaing and Magway regions.

Also, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, a Norwegian Non-Governmental Organization those displaced by the recent fighting join more than 500,000 refugees from decades of conflict between the military and ethnic armed groups who were already counted as displaced at the end of 2020. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)