Myanmar airstrike on crowded Rakhine market kills at least 50

A Myanmar military fighter jet dropped two bombs on a crowded wholesale market and adjacent bridge in Kyauktaw township, western Rakhine state, around midday on Monday, killing at least 50 people and wounding 58 others in one of the deadliest airstrikes to hit the region since the country's civil war escalated after the 2021 coup.

The initial death toll on Monday stood at around 33, but as rescuers pulled bodies from the debris through Tuesday, the count climbed to 50, according to both the Arakan Army, the ethnic armed group that controls the area, and senior rescue official Wai Hun Aung, who confirmed the figures to the Associated Press. Twenty-two of the wounded were in critical condition, and aid workers warned the final toll could rise further because intense fires left some victims burned beyond recognition.reuters+3

'Like Pieces of Charcoal'

The strike hit the riverside town's main wholesale center, known locally as the "Indian Market," along with the Kissapanadi Bridge spanning the Kaladan River. The market had become a vital trading hub for communities across Rakhine, which is largely cut off from the rest of Myanmar, relying on a river trade route toward India as a lifeline.trtworld+2

Witnesses described a scene of devastation. Kyaw Than, whose 19-year-old daughter had been shopping at the market, told the New York Times ↗ 2.25% that he found charred bodies at the blast site. "They appeared like pieces of charcoal," he said. "Some were still ablaze, but they were already deceased." Among the dead was a 32-year-old woman who was nine months pregnant; local sources said she gave birth amid the aftermath while suffering severe burns, and both she and her newborn later died.nytimes+1

The Arakan Army said the victims included "innocent passersby, market vendors, shoppers and cargo loaders" and vowed to "take effective retaliatory measures soon against the individuals and organisations directly responsible." Spokesperson Khaing Thu Kha accused the military of deliberately targeting densely populated civilian areas.aljazeera+3

A War Fought From the Air

Myanmar's military did not comment on the attack. It has previously stated that it strikes only legitimate military targets and "exercises maximum restraint to avoid civilian harm."thefinancialexpress+1

With its ground forces routed across much of Rakhine following the Arakan Army's offensive launched in November 2023, the military has relied heavily on airpower — its one advantage no rebel group can match. The Arakan Army now controls 14 of Rakhine's 17 townships, while the military holds only a few urban centers defended by fighter jets manufactured by Russia and China.firstpost+2

Monday's bombing was the deadliest airstrike in Rakhine since a December attack on a hospital in nearby Mrauk-U township that killed at least 30 people. Rights groups say the military's air campaign, which has also struck schools, monasteries, and religious gatherings, may constitute war crimes.aljazeera+2

Mounting Humanitarian Toll

The broader conflict, which erupted after the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government in February 2021, has killed more than 100,000 people and displaced over 3.5 million across Myanmar, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. Nearly half a million people are displaced within Rakhine alone, United Nations data shows. The military's restrictions on trade routes into the state have worsened food shortages for those who remain.euronews+2