A deadly airstrike in western Myanmar has left at least 49 people dead and 58 wounded, according to the Arakan Army and a local rescue official, intensifying concerns over civilian casualties in the country’s continuing conflict.
The attack occurred Monday in Kyauktaw township, Rakhine State, an area controlled by the Arakan Army, a powerful ethnic armed group seeking greater autonomy for Rakhine’s ethnic minority. The township is located about 340 kilometers west of Mandalay.
The Arakan Army said a fighter jet dropped two bombs near a local market around midday, striking an area used by vendors, shoppers and pedestrians. The group said 22 of the wounded were in critical condition.
The casualty figures were confirmed to The Associated Press by Wai Hun Aung, a senior rescue official in Rakhine who cited rescue workers at the scene. However, AP said it was unable to independently verify the details of the attack. Myanmar’s military had not immediately commented.
Market Attack Hits Key Trade Center
The affected market was reportedly one of the region’s main wholesale centers, attracting traders and shoppers from across Rakhine.
Images and videos circulating after the strike showed fires, damaged vehicles and destruction around the market and a nearby bridge, according to reports.
The attack is particularly significant because Rakhine has already been facing severe economic and humanitarian pressure. Restrictions on trade routes have contributed to worsening food shortages as fighting between the military and armed groups has intensified.
Rakhine Remains a Major Conflict Zone
The airstrike comes amid a wider conflict that has engulfed Myanmar since the military seized power from the elected government in February 2021.
The Arakan Army launched a major offensive in Rakhine in November 2023 and has since captured a regional military headquarters and 14 of the state’s 17 townships, according to AP. The military continues to rely heavily on air power in areas where it faces armed opposition.
Myanmar’s military has previously maintained that its airstrikes target legitimate military objectives and has accused resistance groups of terrorism. No immediate military statement was issued regarding Monday’s attack.
The Arakan Army, meanwhile, said it would take retaliatory measures against those it holds responsible for the strike, raising concerns that the attack could trigger further violence.
Another Blow for Civilians in Rakhine
The latest incident adds to a growing record of deadly attacks in Rakhine amid the country’s prolonged conflict.
A military airstrike on a hospital in Mrauk-U township in December reportedly killed at least 34 people and wounded 80 others, according to AP. Nearly half a million people are also displaced in Rakhine because of the conflict, according to UN data.
For communities already struggling with displacement, food shortages and restricted trade, the latest attack represents another major disruption.
With the death toll already reaching at least 49 and dozens more injured, attention is now turning to the humanitarian consequences — and whether further fighting will follow.
The latest strike has once again put Rakhine’s civilian population at the center of Myanmar’s escalating conflict — but the next developments could determine just how much further the violence spreads.
WWC ONE MEDIA G,A
