Myanmar military strike kills 14 people at a Buddhist monastery, opposition group says

On Friday, Myanmar's military carried out an airstrike on a Buddhist monastery in Sagaing region, killing 14 people participating in a meditation retreat, according to an opposition group and a resident. The attack occurred in Swel Le Oh village, located about 45 miles west of Mandalay. Three women were among the deceased, and 20 others were injured.

A villager confirmed the death toll to The Associated Press, stating that the fighter jet dropped two bombs 15 minutes apart. One bomb killed a villager's mother-in-law and damaged a house nearby where over 100 people were on a weeklong retreat. The military has not yet commented on the incident. This airstrike is the latest in a series of frequent and deadly aerial strikes that often result in civilian casualties.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military seized power from the elected government in February 2021, leading to a civil war. The military has increasingly used airstrikes to counter opposition forces, including armed resistance groups.