October 4, Kyaukta, Myanmar (RASS/AFP) – A military airstrike on a market in western Myanmar on Monday resulted in the deaths of 33 people. An additional 36 were injured, according to a statement released by the Arakan Army, an active rebel group in the region. The group reported that the attack occurred around midday on Monday at a market and a nearby bridge in the city of Kyaukta in Rakhine State, leaving many wounded, some in critical condition, with the death toll expected to rise.
A witness, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said more than 30 bodies were seen at the scene Monday afternoon. Amidst the debris and cratered roads, where thick smoke was rising, human remains were also discovered. Attempts to obtain a response from the military were unsuccessful. Since the military coup in 2021, Myanmar’s civil war has intensified, with western Rakhine State experiencing some of the worst conditions.
