Key facts
- An airstrike by the Myanmar military near the Bangladesh border reportedly killed 50 people and wounded at least 58.
- The UN expressed alarm over the incident and stated conditions are not suitable for refugee returns.
- The Arakan Army accused the military of deliberately targeting civilian areas.
- The UN Human Rights Chief's office expects the casualty count to rise.
The United Nations expressed alarm on Tuesday at reports that an airstrike by the Myanmar military near the country's border with Bangladesh had killed 50 people and wounded dozens more. A UN spokesperson stated that the continuing violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state underscores that conditions do not currently exist for the safe return of refugees and other displaced people.
UN chief Antonio Guterres condemned the attacks and called on all parties to end the violence immediately, protect civilians, and comply with international law. The airstrike in Kyauktaw town on Monday killed 50 people and wounded at least 58, according to the Arakan Army, which is battling Myanmar's military. Local aid worker Wai Hun Aung confirmed the numbers.
Photos shared on social media by Wai Hun Aung showed women and children among the bodies recovered on Tuesday. The Kyauktaw airstrike is Rakhine's deadliest such attack since a December hospital bombing that killed at least 30 people. The Arakan Army spokesperson claimed the military deliberately targeted densely populated markets, schools, civilians, and residential buildings.
A Myanmar government spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. The military has previously stated it exercises maximum restraint to avoid civilian harm. Myanmar has been engaged in a nationwide civil war since a 2021 coup, with an alliance of armed groups, including the Arakan Army, fighting against the military. The conflict has killed around 100,000 people and displaced over 3.5 million.
Separately, Malaysia deported around 1,500 Myanmar nationals on Tuesday as part of a repatriation plan, which rights groups have condemned. The office of UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk stated that the casualty count from the airstrike was expected to rise, noting that reports indicated the strikes occurred during a busy period in a market with a diverse population. The Arakan Army vowed to retaliate against the military.