At least 50 persons got killed and 40 persons suffered injuries in an air strike conducted by the Myanmar military on an anti-junta event in central Myanmar.
According to BBC Burmese, about 50 to 100 people got killed in the attack. The attack is feared to be one of the deadliest since the junta seized power in Myanmar. According to reports, the attack was targeted at an opening ceremony of an office set up by the military’s opponents in the village of Pa Zi Gyi, in Sagaing region.
The Guardian quoted Duwa Lashi La, NUG’s acting president as saying, “This morning, the Myanmar air force dropped multiple bombs on a civilian gathering of several hundred people, while attack helicopters strafed the crowd.” The National Unity Government, set up to oppose the junta, said at least 53 people were confirmed dead, 40 were injured, and that the death toll was expected to rise, The Guardian reported.
Reuters reported that a local People's Defence Force, an anti-junta militia was opening a local office there when the attacks happened. "So far, the exact number of casualties is still unknown. We cannot retrieve all the bodies yet," the publication quoted a PDF member as saying.
The Guardian reported the Burmese military which seized power in a coup in February 2021 has increased airstrikes in an attempt to crush a determined armed resistance movement. The strikes have hit schools, medical facilities, religious sites, civilian homes and other infrastructure.