Myanmar’s military has not commented on the airstrike. The country has been in turmoil since the army ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government on February 1, 2021. After authorities cracked down on peaceful protests with deadly force, many turned to armed resistance, sparking widespread conflict.
The government has escalated air raids on pro-democracy People’s Defense Force (PDF) combatants and ethnic minority guerrilla fighters, both of whom have been fighting for autonomy. Both of these forces do not have air defense capabilities and are exposed to aerial bombardments.
Civilians Targeted in Market Airstrike
The MDY-PDF, which is allied with Myanmar’s leading opposition force, captured Singu township in July last year. The armed group reported on Telegram that the airstrike targeted busy market stalls at Let Pan Hla, where six children were killed among the 27 fatalities.
The group’s spokesperson, Osmond, said The Associated Press that bombs leveled about 10 homes around the market.
“This was not an airstrike on a military target, but on the market area, where civilians go every day,” Osmond stated.
Because of disruptions in internet and phone services, independent verification of the circumstances is still hard to come by.
Death Toll Increases, Civilians in Danger
Independent news agency Myanmar Now reported that the airstrike also struck a tea shop close to the market, bringing the death toll to 30, with seven critically injured.
A recent report by Nyan Lynn Thit Analytica, a research and advocacy group from Myanmar, last month, showed that since the military coup in 2021, 2,224 civilians were killed and 3,466 were injured in 4,157 airstrikes.
As civilian targets continue to be attacked, Myanmar is experiencing a deepening humanitarian crisis, sparking international outrage.
