Eight civilians were killed and 27 were injured in a junta airstrike on a market and downtown wards in Kyauktaw Town in Arakan (Rakhine) State, on 11 January 2025.

The airstrike started at about 9:00 am on 11 January when a junta aircraft carried out three bombing runs targeting crowded areas of Kyauktaw Town, which has been under Arakan Army (AA) control since 7 February 2024. The aircraft dropped a total of 15 bombs, according to the AA.

A witness from Kyauktaw Town said: “The aircraft didn’t stop after the first bombing run but circled back to drop more. We couldn’t even estimate how many bombs were dropped. They hit various parts of the town, and there were reports of casualties everywhere. The area affected was so large that it was difficult to determine the exact number.”

A healthcare provider in Kyauktaw Town told DMG that five people died at the bombing site and that a further three people died from their injuries whilst receiving treatment in hospital.

The death toll is expected to rise as some of the 27 injured are in critical condition. The wounded include women and children.

The AA announced that most of the casualties were vendors, shoppers, and pedestrians, and that the bomb explosions had also destroyed several houses and stalls in the market.

Another Kyauktaw Town resident said: “The airstrike took place in the morning, when the market was usually bustling. Bombing a civilian area means they were intentionally killing people.”

The junta carried out a similar airstrike on Kyauknimaw Village in Ramree Township, Arakan State, on 8 January 2025. That attack killed 26 civilians and injured a further 27, but the final toll is likely to be far higher as many people are still missing and their bodies have not yet been found, according to the AA.