Myanmar, September 29: At least 49 civilians were killed and over 58 seriously injured in a devastating airstrike carried out by the military regime in western Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The attack targeted a major market in Kyauktaw town, an area controlled by the Arakan Army, a powerful ethnic rebel force.
On Monday afternoon, while trading activities were underway, a military fighter jet dropped two powerful bombs on the local wholesale market area. Vegetable and grocery vendors, shoppers, and passersby perished at the scene, left lying in pools of blood.
Among the 58 injured, the condition of approximately 22 individuals is critical, raising fears that the death toll could rise further. The force of the blasts caused nearby buildings to catch fire, completely mangled vehicles, and damaged a nearby bridge.
Arakan Army’s Warning of Retaliation:
The Arakan Army, which holds control over Kyauktaw town, has strongly condemned the attack. Unable to tolerate its defeats on the battlefield, the army is deliberately targeting innocent civilians and carrying out mass killings. The Arakan Army has warned that effective retaliation will soon be exacted against the military commanders and the junta regime responsible for this carnage.
2021 Coup and Civil War: A fierce civil war erupted in Myanmar after the military (junta) seized power in February 2021, ousting the democratic government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.