Myanmar army engaged in torture, war crimes: U.N.

STORY: Security forces have shown a flagrant disregard for human life, using air strikes and heavy weapons on populated areas and deliberately targeting civilians, the spokeswoman for the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ravina Shamdasani, said.

The U.N. report said it was based on interviews with scores of victims of abuse and witnesses, whose accounts were corroborated with satellite imagery, verified multimedia files and open-source information.

The army has met sustained resistance in the countryside from militias allied with the ousted government. The U.N. report said troops had carried out mass killings in the Sagaing region, with some victims found dead with their hands and feet tied.

Myanmar's military spokesperson did not answer calls seeking comment on the U.N. report on Tuesday.

The military says it has a duty to ensure peace and security. It has denied atrocities have taken place and has blamed "terrorists" for causing unrest.