Myanmar military strike kills 14 at monastery retreat

An air strike by Myanmar's military has killed 14 people attending a meditation retreat at a Buddhist monastery in the central Sagaing region. The attack occurred Friday in Swel Le Oh village, Myaung township, approximately 75 kilometers west of Mandalay.

According to Nway Oo, a spokesperson for the Civil Defence and Security Organisation of Myaung Township (CDSOM), a jet fighter dropped two bombs about 15 minutes apart. The second bomb struck the monastery compound, killing 14 individuals, including three women, and wounding 20 others. A villager, who requested anonymity, corroborated the death toll to the Associated Press. This villager's mother-in-law was among those killed.

This incident is the latest in a pattern of frequent and deadly aerial assaults by the Myanmar military, often targeting anti-government forces and ethnic armed groups, but frequently causing civilian casualties. A recent United Nations report highlighted the military's increasing use of low-cost aircraft for escalating aerial attacks that kill civilians. The UN-established Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) has been investigating alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the military and its affiliates, as well as by opposition armed groups.

The Myanmar military government has not yet responded to the monastery attack. In the past, the military has asserted that it only engages legitimate targets and has accused resistance forces of being terrorists. News outlets, including Myanmar Now and the BBC's Burmese-language service, have reported the death toll ranging from 10 to 14 and have published images and videos depicting the aftermath of the strike.

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14 people, including three women, were killed and 20 others were wounded when a jet fighter dropped a bomb in the compound of the village's monastery.