Myanmar military airstrike kills at least 50 in northern Rakhine, report says

At least 50 people were killed and 58 others wounded after Myanmar’s military carried out an airstrike in Kyauktaw township in northern Rakhine state, according to a report by The Irrawaddy.

The attack took place on Monday in an area currently controlled by an opposition group. A military jet struck the Kissapanadi, also known as the Kaladan Bridge, and a crowded marketplace called the “Indian Market”.

Pedestrians, shoppers and labourers were among those hit in the attack, the report said.

One of the deadliest attacks since Min Aung Hlaing became president

The strike on Kyauktaw, a coastal town situated along the Kaladan River, was described as one of the deadliest attacks since junta leader Min Aung Hlaing was elected president in April this year.

Myanmar has been embroiled in a prolonged civil war that intensified after Min Aung Hlaing ousted an elected government in February 2021. Several ethnic opposition groups are fighting the government in different parts of the country.

Rakhine’s Rohingya community

Rakhine state is home largely to the Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim community that has faced persecution by Myanmar’s military authorities and other opposition groups.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have been forced to flee Myanmar, a Buddhist-majority country, over the years.