A human rights group in Myanmar says 5,000 people have been killed in attacks and crackdowns by the country's military since it took power in a coup three years ago.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, also known as AAPP, cites its own tally for the death toll, including pro-democracy activists and civilians, as of Friday.

It says many people were killed in the northwestern region of Sagaing where fighting continues between the military and pro-democracy forces, and the second largest city of Mandalay.

The military has controlled the country since a coup on February 1, 2021, and continued to detain members of pro-democracy forces.

Since autumn last year, the military has been losing ground due to an offensive by armed groups of ethnic minorities in cooperation with pro-democracy forces near the border. The military is stepping up airstrikes.

On Thursday, the military carried out an airstrike on a monastery in the central region of Magway, killing more than 10 people.

Last month, an airstrike hit areas in the country's southeast near a bridge over the border with Thailand, resulting in the deaths of at least 15 civilians.