Myanmar airstrike on monastery kills 14

A Myanmar military airstrike on a monastery during Buddhist Lent claimed the lives of 14 individuals, according to two rebel witnesses. The attack struck a monastery hall in Myaung township of central Sagaing region around 9 AM on Friday, killing 11 men and three women, stated Nway Oo Myaung, a pro-democracy rebel who assisted in clearing the bodies.

The participants, aged between 50 and 70, were gathered for a meditation retreat that had been ongoing for three months. Both witnesses confirmed that the monastery was not a mistaken target, but rather a deliberate military strike. One rebel added that five victims were from their own village and the remaining nine were from neighboring communities.

A second rebel, speaking anonymously, recounted that their group was attempting to rescue survivors when the aircraft returned to bomb the site a second time. It remains unclear whether the Myanmar military would comment on the incident. Myanmar's military initiated a civil war in 2021 with a coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and detained the Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

UN investigators recently released a report alleging that the military had conducted indiscriminate and intentional aerial attacks against civilians.