Myanmar army air strike kills dozens in Rakhine state

What the report says

An air strike by Myanmar’s military killed at least 33 people and wounded 36 in Kyauktaw township in northern Rakhine state, according to rescue workers and officials aligned with the Arakan army. Al Jazeera reported that the attack hit area near a local market at around noon on Monday and that witnesses and social media images showed fires, damaged vehicles and destruction near a bridge. The dead were said to include vendors, shoppers and pedestrians.

The military did not immediately respond, but it has previously said it targets only legitimate military objectives and has accused opposition groups of terrorism. The strike is the latest in a wider conflict that began after the army seized power in a 2021 coup and faced armed resistance from pro-democracy forces and ethnic armed groups. The Arakan army, which seeks autonomy for Rakhine’s ethnic minority, has expanded its control in the state since launching an offensive in late 2023.

The report also said the violence has deepened an already severe humanitarian crisis. Nearly half a million people are displaced in Rakhine, according to UN data cited by Al Jazeera, and military restrictions on trade routes have worsened food shortages. Background reporting on Myanmar’s civil war suggests air power and drones are increasingly central to the fighting, while civilian areas have repeatedly borne the brunt of attacks.