Myanmar army airstrike kills 49 and injures 58 others in market in opposition-controlled Rakhine state
The Arakan Army accused the army of using fighter jets to drop bombs near the civilian market around noon on Monday, killing many people. The incident is the latest in a continued territorial fight between Myanmar’s ruling junta and the Arakan Army, which controls the state of Rakhine.
Myanmar's military conducted an airstrike near a market in Rakhine state on Monday, resulting in the deaths of at least 49 people and injuring 58 others, according to the Arakan Army, a powerful ethnic armed group that controls the area. The attack took place in Kyauktaw township, approximately 340 kilometers west of Mandalay, the country's second-largest city.
The Arakan Army stated that a fighter jet dropped two bombs near the market around noon, causing widespread damage and casualties. A senior rescue official in Rakhine confirmed the casualties, emphasizing that the market was a key wholesale center in the region. Photos and videos shared on social media depicted buildings ablaze, damaged vehicles, and a destroyed nearby bridge.
The military has not yet commented on the incident, typically claiming it targets only legitimate military objectives and accusing opposition groups of terrorism. The Arakan Army, which launched an offensive in Rakhine in November 2023, has taken control of a significant military base and 14 out of Rakhine's 17 townships. The military's imposition of strict restrictions on trade routes since the escalation of conflict in Rakhine has exacerbated food shortages in the region.
In December, a military airstrike on a hospital in Rakhine's Mrauk-U township killed at least 34 people and injured 80 others.
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