Myanmar junta airstrike during a peaceful festival and protest in central Myanmar has killed at least 40 people, including children, and injured more than 80 others, witnesses confirmed on Tuesday.
The deadly strike took place in Chaung U township during the Thadingyut full moon festival on Monday evening. Hundreds had gathered to celebrate the festival and participate in an anti-junta demonstration when the military launched an unexpected assault.
According to an organizer who requested anonymity for safety reasons, a motor-powered paraglider flew low over the crowd around 7 p.m., releasing two bombs directly into the heart of the gathering. “The explosion was devastating. Many people tried to flee, but it was too late,” she said. “Children were among those torn apart. The scene was unimaginable.”
She added that rescue efforts continued through the night as volunteers collected body parts scattered across the festival grounds. “We were still finding limbs and pieces of flesh the next morning,” she recounted emotionally.
A resident who attended the event shared that panic erupted when people noticed the paramotor flying overhead. “I told everyone not to run, but before we could react, two bombs were dropped,” he told AFP. “Two of my friends died right in front of me. I buried nine of my friends the next day.”
Local media also confirmed the death toll, describing it as one of the deadliest Myanmar junta airstrikes since the 2021 military coup. The junta has not yet issued a statement regarding the incident.
Myanmar has been engulfed in conflict since the military coup of 2021, which overthrew the elected government. The coup triggered widespread resistance, leading pro-democracy groups to ally with ethnic armed organizations to oppose military rule.
The Myanmar junta airstrike in Chaung U highlights the junta’s increasing reliance on air power to suppress opposition forces and intimidate civilians. These attacks have become more frequent, especially in regions where resistance groups are gaining ground.
Human rights organization Amnesty International condemned the attack, calling it a “gruesome reminder” of the urgent need to protect civilians in Myanmar. “The military is intensifying its brutal campaign against any form of resistance,” said Joe Freeman, Amnesty’s Myanmar researcher.
Freeman criticized the global community for turning a blind eye to Myanmar’s worsening crisis. “The junta is exploiting reduced international scrutiny to commit war crimes with impunity,” he warned.
He urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to take stronger action and increase diplomatic pressure on Myanmar’s ruling military.
The junta has announced plans to hold elections on December 28, calling them a step toward reconciliation. However, UN experts have dismissed the move as a “sham election” aimed at legitimizing continued military rule. Rebel forces have already vowed to block the polls.
As the Myanmar junta airstrike underscores, the military’s campaign shows no sign of easing. The junta continues to besiege rebel-held regions, seeking to expand its control ahead of the controversial elections.
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