BANGKOK: Locals and media reports in Myanmar have revealed that a military air strike on a village has resulted in the death of ten civilians. The incident occurred amidst ongoing fighting that has plagued the country since the coup in 2021, with the military junta engaged in clashes with ethnic rebels and numerous “People’s Defence Forces” across Myanmar.
Human rights groups have accused the military of engaging in extrajudicial killings, village destruction, and employing air strikes as collective punishment against its opponents. According to Ko Zaw Tun, an anti-coup fighter from Nyaung Kone village, a military jet dropped three bombs on their village in the northern Sagaing region on Tuesday afternoon.
As a result, ten people lost their lives, and eight others sustained injuries. Ko Zaw Tun stated that there was no ongoing conflict at the time of the air strike, emphasizing that the military targeted the village without provocation. He further revealed that the attack had destroyed 11 houses in the community.
A resident of Nyaung Kone, who requested anonymity out of fear of reprisal, also confirmed the death toll from the strike. He mentioned that locals had conducted funeral rites for the deceased that same evening due to uncertainty about the military’s intentions. The resident explained that the military’s actions were unclear, leading the community to promptly hold funerals for the victims.
Media Reports Confirm Myanmar Air Strike
BBC Burmese and other local media outlets have corroborated the reports of the air strikes, with some sources indicating that nine people were killed. Images released by local media depicted residents attempting to extinguish smoldering debris and ash, along with a significantly damaged building.
Independent verification by AFP digital verification reporters confirmed the authenticity of the images, as they had not been previously circulated online before Tuesday.
As the military junta continues to face formidable opposition, experts suggest that it has increasingly relied on artillery strikes and air power to suppress resistance. The United Nations disclosed in March that more than 300 air strikes had been carried out by the military over the past year. Sagaing has emerged as a hotspot for anti-junta resistance. In April, the military bombed a gathering in Sagaing, resulting in approximately 170 reported fatalities, which drew renewed international condemnation of the isolated junta’s actions.
