Myanmar Airstrike Near Market Kills at Least 49 in Rakhine
At least 49 people were killed and 58 others injured after a Myanmar military airstrike hit an area near a market in rebel-controlled Rakhine state on Monday, according to the Arakan Army and a senior rescue official who spoke to The Associated Press.
The attack took place in Kyauktaw township, around 340 km west of Mandalay. The area is controlled by the Arakan Army, one of Myanmar’s most powerful ethnic armed groups. The Associated Press said it was unable to independently verify the reported casualties.
Market Hit During Midday Airstrike
The Arakan Army said a military aircraft dropped two bombs near a local market at around noon. Vendors, shoppers and people passing through the area were among those killed, according to the group.
It said 22 of the injured were in critical condition.
Wai Hun Aung, a senior rescue official in Rakhine, confirmed the casualty figures to AP, citing rescue workers at the scene. He described the market as a major wholesale centre serving the region, attracting traders and customers from across Rakhine.
“This is one of the most severe airstrikes in Rakhine,” he said.
Images and videos shared on social media appeared to show buildings on fire, damaged vehicles and a partially destroyed bridge near the site.
Arakan Army Threatens Retaliation
The Arakan Army said it would take “effective retaliatory measures soon” against those responsible for the attack.
Myanmar’s military did not immediately comment on the strike. The military has previously maintained that its air operations target legitimate military positions and has accused armed resistance groups of terrorism.
Rakhine Fighting Intensifies
The latest strike comes amid continuing conflict between Myanmar’s military and ethnic armed groups and pro-democracy forces.
The country has remained embroiled in conflict since the military ousted the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, 2021. A violent crackdown on anti-coup protests was followed by the emergence of armed resistance across large parts of the country.
The Arakan Army is the military wing of a movement seeking greater autonomy for Rakhine’s ethnic population. It launched a major offensive in the state in November 2023 and has since captured a key regional military headquarters and 14 of Rakhine’s 17 townships.
Food Shortages Add to Crisis
Fighting and restrictions on trade routes imposed by the military have further disrupted supplies and worsened food shortages in Rakhine.
In December, a separate military airstrike on a hospital in Mrauk-U township reportedly killed at least 34 people and injured 80 others, according to the reported figures.
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