An airstrike on a Buddhist monastery in Myanmar’s central Sagaing region reportedly martyred 14 people and injured 20 others during a week-long meditation retreat, according to an Associated Press report citing an opposition group and a local resident. The incident occurred amid Myanmar’s prolonged armed conflict, in which military airstrikes have frequently been reported in areas held or contested by pro-democracy and ethnic armed groups.
Nway Oo said 14 people, including three women, died in the attack and 20 others were wounded. A local resident cited by AP, who reportedly lost a relative in the incident, said the aircraft dropped two bombs around 15 minutes apart. The second explosion damaged a nearby house.
The details of the attack, including the identities of those responsible and the circumstances that led to the strike, could not be independently verified from the information available. The reports cited local sources and an opposition-linked organisation, while there was no immediate detailed account from Myanmar’s military addressing the specific incident.
The reported attack is the latest in a series of aerial strikes documented during Myanmar’s ongoing conflict. The country has been embroiled in armed conflict since the military seized power in February 2021, overthrowing the elected civilian government and detaining senior political leaders, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint.
The coup triggered widespread protests, followed by the emergence and expansion of armed resistance groups. Ethnic armed organisations have also continued fighting the military in several parts of the country. Different armed groups control or contest significant areas, making the conflict highly fragmented.
The reported monastery strike comes as a United Nations investigative body has raised concerns over alleged attacks on civilians.
IIMM head Nicholas Koumjian said investigators were examining airstrikes against communities, including attacks affecting schools and hospitals, as well as the command structures and orders behind such operations.
The monastery attack therefore adds to wider concerns about the impact of aerial warfare on civilians and religious or community spaces. However, establishing responsibility for the specific strike and determining whether it violated international law would require further investigation and evidence.