Dozens killed in Myanmar military airstrike in Rakhine state, UN says | Military news

An attack on the village of Kyauk Ni Maw, in the town of Ramree Island, killed more than 40 people and destroyed about 500 homes.

Airstrikes by Myanmar's military in western Rakhine state this week killed dozens of people, the United Nations said, as the country remains mired in violence four years after the coup.

In a statement late Friday, the United Nations said military government forces struck Kyauk Ni Maw, a village in the township of Ramree Island, killing more than 40 people and destroying about 500 homes.

Myanmar was in the commotion since the military overthrew the elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, sparking mass protests that escalated into a widespread, multi-front armed insurgency that left thousands dead.

Women and children were among those killed in Rakhine, according to the statement attributed to the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Myanmar.

“The fighting in Rakhine has recently escalated, with civilians paying the highest price of the conflict,” the statement said.

“Civilians face extreme risks, acute food insecurity and the near-total collapse of critical public services.”

The UN report corroborates earlier testimony by a rescuer and ethnic armed group the Arakan Army (AA) about the deadly violence in Rakhine.

The AA released the names of at least 26 Muslim villagers it said were among those killed and 12 people wounded in the attack.

Pictures of the aftermath of the bombing, obtained by the AFP news agency, showed stunned residents walking through charred, smoking ruins, the ground littered with corrugated metal, trees stripped of leaves and buildings reduced to several pieces of wall.

A spokesman for the military government did not return phone calls from Reuters and AFP seeking comment.

The government has repeatedly denied allegations that its forces were committing atrocities against civilianssaying he was trying to fight “terrorists”.

The army has been struggling to fight opposition to its rule on multiple fronts in the country, and several areas have already fallen under the control of various rebel groups.

In addition to AA, government forces are also fighting other groups such as Karen National Union and the Kachin Independence Army, among others.

Friday's UN statement called on all countries to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law.

He also called on all countries “to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access to deliver aid to the most vulnerable”.

Meanwhile, the Blood Money Campaign, a coalition of Myanmar activists working to stop the military government's revenue, called on international governments to quickly sanction entities that supply it with aviation fuel.

“Only when this support stops will the airstrikes really end,” said Mullan, a spokesman for the Blood Money campaign, who gave himself only one name.

Last week, the UN said more than 3.5 million people had been displaced by the conflict in Myanmar – an increase of 1.5 million over last year.