Military Airstrike In Rebel-Held Myanmar Region Reportedly Kills 100 People, Recovery Efforts Underway

Airstrike In Sagaing Region Of Myanmar Kills At Least 100 People

Myanmar’s military junta ordered an airstrike over the rebel-held Sagaing Region on Tuesday (11 Apr).

The deadly aerial attack damaged the infrastructure in Pazigyi Village and killed at least 100 people, including civilian women and children.

Source: @thanlwinkhet on Twitter

According to reports, the target was a gathering that celebrated the opening of the local resistance’s administrative office.

Military bombs largely civilian gathering at Pazigyi Village

The New York Times (NY Times) reported that Myanmar’s military government bombed a rebel-held territory on Tuesday (11 Apr).

According to witnesses at the scene, a military jet and helicopter strafed a largely civilian gathering at Pazigyi Village.

Source: @MilePhak_MMFC on Twitter

Meanwhile, a villager told BBC News that the airstrike happened at around 7am (local time) on Tuesday.

Apparently, a military jet had dropped a bomb, and following this, the helicopter gunship shot at the gathering for 20 minutes.

Images of the bombed site on social media showed charred human remains, barely distinguishable from the burnt debris and rubble.

Citing independent media reports, NY Times and The Associated Press (AP) wrote that the attack killed roughly 100 people.

Source: @MayWongCNA on Twitter

At least 30 children were reportedly among the dead.

Apparently, the airstrike had targeted a gathering that celebrated the opening of the local rebels’ administrative office.

Subsequently, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Chief Volker Türk condemned the airstrike.

“I am horrified by reports of today’s airstrikes by Myanmar fighter jets on a community hall in the Sagaing region, an opposition stronghold in the northwest of the country, that killed dozens of people, including women and children,” he said in a statement.

“It appears schoolchildren performing dances, as well as other civilians, attending an opening ceremony at the hall in Pazi Gyi village, Kanbalu Township were among the victims.”

Additionally, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has similarly denounced the attack.

Airstrike in Myanmar was meant for rebels

According to the NY Times, the military junta’s spokesman, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun said that the rebel forces were the target of the airstrike.

Source: AFP Photo from The ASEAN Post

Addressing the high casualty rate, Major General Zaw Min Tun said that it was because of the stored ammunition at the site.

When the bomb hit the stored ammunition, the latter exploded, killing many in its wake.

Additionally, he asserted that the rebels only had themselves to blame for killing the village chief last month.

Recovery efforts underway

The NY Times reported that the recent airstrike is the deadliest recorded aerial attack in Myanmar since the junta took over two years ago.

According to Aung Myo Min, the National Unity Government’s human rights minister, rescuers have found 53 intact bodies.

However, they are still in the process of recovery efforts.

As such, the death toll from the military airstrike is expected to rise.

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Featured image adapted from @thanlwinkhet on Twitter and @MayWongCNA on Twitter.