Politics · India Bureau
Myanmar military airstrike kills 49 in Rakhine market area
An airstrike by Myanmar's military in rebel-controlled territory in western Rakhine state killed at least 49 people and wounded 58 others on Monday, according to armed group officials and rescue workers. The attack marks the latest in a series of deadly strikes targeting anti-junta forces across the country.
LSN India ·
The airstrike targeted an area near a market in Kyauktaw township, approximately 340 kilometres west of Mandalay, according to the Arakan Army, a major ethnic armed group that controls the region. The rebel organization reported the casualty figures, though independent verification of the death toll remains difficult.
The attack underscores the intensifying military campaign against resistance forces since Myanmar's armed forces seized power in a February 2021 coup that ousted the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The putsch sparked widespread opposition and triggered a violent military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, leading many opponents of military rule to take up arms.
Since then, conflict has engulfed significant portions of Myanmar as armed resistance groups and ethnic militias fight the junta's forces. The military has increasingly relied on aerial bombardment, striking targets across the country in operations that have frequently resulted in civilian casualties.
Monday's strike in Rakhine state represents the latest in a pattern of airstrikes against both pro-democracy resistance forces and ethnic armed organizations. The Arakan Army, which controls substantial territory in Rakhine, has emerged as one of the most powerful armed groups opposing military rule in the country.