The Junta unleashed an airstrike on Ahkyipanpalun village in Kyaukhtu Town, Magway Region, targeting a meeting at the village monastery, killing nearly 20 civilians and injuring more than 30.
An aid worker helping the war-displaced population in Yaw and Kyaukhtu said.
"A lot of people were at the monastery when the attack happened. The brutal air raid left the entire monastery in ruins and ashes. We have recovered 13 bodies, but they are badly burned, making identification impossible. More bodies remain buried under the rubble. Though the exact number of injured is uncertain, it could exceed 30, with many requiring urgent hospitalization”, an aid worker helping the war-displaced population in Yaw and Kyaukhtu said.
On May 9, around 11:00 am the Junta conducted an airstrike on Ahkyipanpalun village, located roughly 6 miles from Saw Township in Magway Region, using high-explosives and flame bombs.
"I am hoping the death toll stays under 20, but I am not so sure. There were about 60 at the monastery meeting when the bombs hit. The first one knocked down some nearby buildings, and some of us ran away in panic. Then the second bomb detonated, and the whole monastery collapsed, trapping people underneath. Finally the flame bombs landed, and everything burned down. It was an awful ordeal”, the aforementioned aid worker reported.
Some of the injured were in critical condition, with some having lost limbs, according to witnesses.
About 60 people, including village elders, rural community administrators, and aid workers, were present at the gathering held at the monastery, which quickly turned into a catastrophe.
After the devastating airstrike, the villagers of Ahkyipanpalun fled out of fear, feeling no longer secure to remain in the village.
The Junta has severed phone lines in areas around Kyaukhtu and Ahkyipanpalun, hampering efforts to gather information on the aftermath of the airstrike.
Locals reported that the Junta also employed drones to conduct reconnaissance of Ahkyipanpalun and neighboring villages.
