At least 20 people were killed and dozens more injured in central Myanmar after military forces carried out an aerial assault using explosives launched from paragliders during a protest on Monday night.
The strikes targeted Chaung U, in the Sagaing region, and occurred twice during a public holiday. Myanmar has been embroiled in widespread violence since the military took control in 2021, and the area has remained a focal point of clashes.
“I saw body parts scattered everywhere,” a local resident reported to the Democratic Voice of Burma. Witnesses stated it was difficult to identify whether those killed in the initial attack were civilians or fighters opposed to the ruling authorities.
The explosives were deployed from motorized paragliders, a method increasingly used this year as military forces escalate air operations against opponents.
The victims were participating in a peaceful demonstration against the military government during an event marking the Thadingyut festival, a major Buddhist observance in the country.
Video footage shared online showed people desperately aiding the wounded and searching for missing relatives.
Amnesty International warned that the attack highlighted the urgent need to safeguard civilians in Myanmar. “While global attention may have shifted from Myanmar’s conflict, the military continues to exploit this lack of oversight to commit atrocities without consequence,” said Joe Freeman, a researcher for Amnesty focusing on Myanmar.
The ruling authorities have announced plans for elections on 28 December, but a United Nations official has dismissed the move as “dishonest.” Opposition groups opposing military rule are either banned from participating or have chosen to boycott the process.
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