The outgoing U.N. special envoy on Myanmar has warned that the chance to return to democracy is disappearing and signalling that further targeted sanctions could be helpful, Reuters reported.

Christine Schraner Burgener, who is stepping down after more than three-and-a-half years in the role, told the U.N. General Assembly in June that there was a real risk of large-scale civil war after the military seized power on Feb. 1, detaining Aung San Suu Kyi and other elected government leaders.

When asked on Thursday if there was now a civil war, she said: "In the international law terminology we use internal armed conflict and I would use this terminology now."