Myanmar: Military airstrike on festival kills at least 20, says Amnesty International
Amnesty International has condemned a deadly airstrike by Myanmar’s military that targeted a Buddhist festival on Monday night, killing at least 20 people, including several children. The attack occurred in the town of Chaung U, in central Myanmar, where thousands had gathered to celebrate the Buddhist Festival of Lights and to protest against the ruling junta.
Witnesses reported that a motorized paraglider dropped two bombs over the crowd around 7 p.m., triggering chaos and devastation. “People were holding candles, and the next minute, they were on the ground in pieces,” said a member of the organizing committee, who spoke anonymously for security reasons. “We were still collecting body parts this morning.”
Local media and residents suggested the death toll could exceed 40, with around 80 others injured. Funerals were held Tuesday for many of the victims. Amnesty International described the strike as a “terrifying wake-up call” highlighting the urgent need to protect civilians in Myanmar.
“The international community may have turned its eyes away from Myanmar, but the military continues to commit war crimes with impunity,” said Joe Freeman, Amnesty’s Myanmar researcher, in a statement.
The junta, which seized power in a 2021 coup, has repeatedly targeted civilian gatherings and rebel-held areas in air raids, despite growing international condemnation.
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