Myanmar military aircraft launched devastating airstrikes on residential areas in Rakhine State on Wednesday, killing at least 10 civilian, including women and children, and injuring dozens more.
The attacks occurred in Kyauktaw town, a region hosting significant Chinese development projects, and coincided directly with junta leader Min Aung Hlaing’s official visit to Beijing to secure diplomatic support.
According to local witnesses, a fleet of seven military aircraft targeted civilian neighborhoods late Wednesday evening. The lethal bombardment underscores a stark contradiction between the junta's international diplomatic efforts and its escalating violence against its own citizens at home.
The recent bombings and killings coincided with Myanmar military leader Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to China, where he continues to secure political and economic backing. Armed with this support, the military has intensified its airstrikes on Rakhine State, a region hosting large-scale Chinese infrastructure projects.
A former Rakhine member of parliament, speaking on condition of anonymity, remarked, "China is not only extracting gas from Rakhine State alongside the military, but is now effectively draining the blood of the Rakhine people."
He added that these brutal attacks during the junta leader's visit signal the military's deep reliance on Beijing, stating, "China’s policy of non-interference acts as a legal license for the Burmese military to commit murder."
While Beijing officially claims neutrality, it remains the military government's closest ally and primary weapons supplier.
A lawmaker has condemned the Myanmar military's use of seven fighter jets to bomb its own citizens in Kyauktaw as a deeply concerning and excessive use of force.
The MP stated that if China genuinely desires peace in Myanmar, it must pressure and restrain the military junta, which remains receptive to Beijing's influence.
The aerial assault began at 3:00 p.m. today, June 17, with seven fighter jets repeatedly striking residential zone, including Paithay and Lanmadaw wards, for over three and a half hours.
According to local residents, at least 10 civilians are feared dead, with eight bodies already recovered from the Lanmadaw Market Circle and surrounding neighborhood.
"We have personally seen five bodies in the Lanmadaw market area and another inside a burned-out village home," a local resident reported, adding that an elderly woman was also critically injured on Kyauktaw Kata 3 Road.
The casualties include women and children, and more than 10 other residents have been injured as search efforts continue in neighboring areas.
A local woman told Narinjara News, “The strike hit the old oil field in Paithe Ward and an area near Lanmadaw Ward, where I heard there were casualties. Witnessing today's bombing was terrifying.”
The attack damaged more than 20 shops in Paithe Ward, alongside several residential buildings and vehicles. A local man added, “My friend’s grandmother’s house was hit, though fortunately, no one inside was injured. A warehouse where my friend stored cement bags at the old oil field was also struck, along with a car.”
Beyond Kyauktaw, the Myanmar Air Force bombed Gwa Township in southern Rakhine State on June 14 and 15, killing two people, including a woman, and wounding eight others.
Notably, this escalation in Rakhine State, a region hosting major Chinese infrastructure projects, occurred during junta chief Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to China, following renewed political, military, and economic backing from Beijing.
