Myanmar military airstrike death toll rises to 50

Airstrike in Myanmar's Rakhine state killed 50 and injured 58, according to aid workers on the ground. The bombing targeted a bustling market on the riverbank in Kyauktaw town on Monday around noon. The initial death toll reported was around 30, but the count has since risen to 50, with the possibility of more fatalities due to bodies being burned in subsequent fires.

No comment from the Myanmar military was available. The Arakan Army, the ethnic rebel group controlling the region, reported 49 deaths and 58 injuries, with 22 in critical condition. The victims were innocent civilians, including market vendors and shoppers. The market and adjoining bridge had been a thriving hub of activity following the civil war that started after a 2021 military coup.

Rakhine has been severely affected by the conflict, becoming largely isolated from the rest of Myanmar. The Arakan Army controls almost all of Rakhine, except for a few towns still defended by the military, which possesses a fleet of Russian and Chinese fighter jets. The rebel group is accused of committing atrocities against civilians, potentially constituting war crimes.

Nearly half a million people have been displaced in Rakhine due to the ongoing conflict, with over 100,000 fatalities reported since the 2021 coup.