Myanmar Junta Air Strike Kills 40, Says Ethnic Group and Rescue Worker

Myanmar Junta Air Strike Kills 40, Says Ethnic Group and Rescue Worker

An air strike launched by the Myanmar junta killed at least 40 people in a village in western Rakhine state, a rescue worker and ethnic minority armed group told AFP on Thursday.

The Arakan Army (AA) is currently involved in an intense conflict with the military to control Rakhine. In the past year, the AA has seized vast areas of territory, nearly isolating the capital, Sittwe.

The military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government in a 2021 coup, which incited a widespread armed insurrection. The Rakhine conflict is one component of the bloody chaos that has since engulfed Myanmar.

According to Khaing Thu Kha, the spokesperson for the AA, a military aircraft struck Kyauk Ni Maw on Ramree island at approximately 1:20 p.m. on Wednesday, igniting a fire that consumed over 500 residences.

“He stated that 40 innocent civilians were killed and 20 were wounded, as per the initial reports.”

AFP was informed by a member of a local rescue group whose team was assisting individuals in the area that 41 individuals were slain and 52 were injured. The rescue worker, who requested anonymity to safeguard their safety, stated, “We are currently unable to administer betadine and methylated spirit to them due to the challenging transportation conditions.”

Charred ruins

The bombing’s aftermath was depicted in photographs, with residents strolling through charred, smoking ruins, the ground littered with corrugated metal, trees stripped of leaves, and structures reduced to a few scraps of walls. The residents appeared dazed.

The junta has not responded to calls from AFP seeking comment on the incident.

China is supporting the construction of a deep-sea port on Ramree island, but the unrest has halted it. Upon its completion, the port will serve as Beijing’s gateway to the Indian Ocean.

The military is currently facing significant opposition to its rule on numerous fronts throughout the nation, and it has been repeatedly accused of employing air and artillery strikes to target civilian communities.

In addition to the “People’s Defence Forces” established by youth to oppose the rebellion, the military is currently engaged in a battle against several well-armed and long-standing ethnic minority armed groups, such as the AA, which control extensive territories along the country’s borders.

In November, the UN Development Programme warned that Rakhine was on the brink of catastrophe due to the conflict’s impact on agricultural production and commerce.

Last week, the United Nations reported that the conflict in Myanmar has resulted in the displacement of over 3.5 million individuals, a 1.5 million increase from the previous year.

According to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, the outlook for the upcoming year is “bleak,” with 19.9 million individuals—more than one-third of the population—expected to require assistance in 2025.