World · Malaysia Bureau
Myanmar airstrike on Buddhist monastery kills 14 civilians
At least 14 people have been killed in an airstrike on a monastery in Myanmar's Sagaing region, where civilians had gathered for a Buddhist meditation retreat. Local opposition forces say the attack targeted non-combatants attending the religious gathering.
LSN Malaysia ·
An airstrike in central Myanmar has claimed the lives of at least 14 civilians at a Buddhist monastery, according to reports from local resistance fighters in the Sagaing region. The strike occurred as people were assembled for a meditation retreat at the religious site.
The incident marks another instance of escalating violence affecting civilian populations in Myanmar since the military coup in February 2021. Religious sites have increasingly become caught in the crossfire of ongoing armed conflict between government forces and armed resistance groups opposing the junta's rule.
Local opposition forces provided accounts of the strike, characterising those gathered at the monastery as non-combatants engaged in peaceful religious observance. The attack underscores the humanitarian toll of the conflict, with civilians continuing to bear the brunt of military operations across the country.
The Sagaing region has witnessed intensifying clashes between military forces and anti-junta armed groups over recent months. Casualty figures from airstrikes and ground operations have mounted steadily, with humanitarian organisations expressing grave concern over the impact on civilian communities.