Myanmar military airstrike on monastery kills 14: rebel witnesses

Fourteen civilians were killed when the Myanmar military launched an airstrike on a monastery in Myaung township, central Sagaing region. The attack occurred around 9 a.m. on Friday, August 21, as civilians were gathered at the monastery hall for a meditation retreat marking Buddhist Lent.

Witnesses, including Nway Oo Myaung, a pro-democracy rebel who helped clear bodies, reported that the victims were between 50 and 70 years old. He asserted that the strike was not a mistaken target but an intentional attack on the monastery. A second opposition fighter, speaking anonymously, confirmed that five deceased individuals were from his village, while the other nine were from surrounding areas. He also stated that aircraft returned to bomb the area a second time while rescue efforts were underway.

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Those who were killed, their ages were between 50 and 70. It wasn't a mistaken target, they intentionally attacked a monastery.

The Myanmar military has not yet commented on the incident. The country has been embroiled in a civil war since the military seized power in a 2021 coup, ousting the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. The ongoing conflict has led to widespread violence and human rights abuses.

This airstrike follows a recent report by UN investigators, published last week, which accused the Myanmar military of conducting "indiscriminate and intentional aerial attacks against civilians." The report highlights a pattern of violence directed at the civilian population amidst the ongoing conflict.

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Five dead people were from our village and the other nine were from other villages.