Myanmar military bombing kills 14 at Buddhist monastery, opposition reports

What the report says

A military air strike in central Myanmar killed 14 people and injured 20 at a Buddhist monastery in Swel Le Oh village, Myaung township, according to an opposition-linked local defense group and a resident cited by Al Jazeera. The monastery is about 75 kilometres west of Mandalay, and the attack reportedly hit during a religious retreat tied to Buddhist Lent.

Al Jazeera reported that a fighter jet bombed the monastery compound on Friday, with one local resident saying more than 100 people had been staying in and around the site. The dead included three women, according to the Civil Defense and Security Organization of Myaung Township. The resident also said the aircraft dropped two bombs about 15 minutes apart and that a family member was among those killed.

The Myanmar military did not immediately comment on the strike. It has previously said its operations target legitimate threats. The report comes amid Myanmar’s broader civil war, which followed the army’s seizure of power in February 2021 and has since spread across much of the country.

Sagaing Region, where Myaung township is located, has been a major area of resistance to military rule. Human rights and conflict monitors have repeatedly raised concerns about air attacks on civilian areas, though exact battlefield claims often differ between the military and opposition groups.