BANGKOK: An ethnic minority armed group in Myanmar reported that a military junta air strike killed at least 19 students at two private high schools in Rakhine state.
The Arakan Army (AA) stated the attack occurred in Kyauktaw township just after midnight on Friday, killing students aged between 15 and 21 and wounding 22 others.
The AA is engaged in intense fighting with Myanmar’s ruling military for control over Rakhine, where it has captured significant territory over the past year.
This conflict forms part of the broader chaos that has gripped Myanmar since the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government in a 2021 coup.
The group expressed deep sorrow for the victims’ families and directly blamed the junta for the deadly strike.
Local media outlet Myanmar Now reported that a junta warplane dropped two 500-pound bombs on a school while students were sleeping.
UNICEF condemned what it described as a brutal attack that reflects a pattern of escalating violence in Rakhine State.
The United Nations agency emphasised that children and families are paying the ultimate price in the ongoing conflict.
Communication with the area remains difficult due to patchy internet and phone services around Kyauktaw.
Myanmar’s military faces widespread opposition across the country and stands regularly accused of using air and artillery strikes against civilian communities. – AFP