Myanmar airstrike kills at least 50 in Rakhine state

At least 50 people were killed when the Burmese military launched an airstrike in Kyauktaw township in northern Rakhine state, according to a media report Tuesday. The Burmese military struck a bridge and a market on Monday in the township, which is currently held by an opposition group, The Irrawaddy reported, adding that around 58 more people were wounded. A military jet hit the Kissapanadi, or Kaladan, Bridge along with a busy marketplace known locally as the "Indian Market," where pedestrians, shoppers and laborers were among those caught in the attack.

One of the deadliest strikes in months

The bombardment of the coastal town of Kyauktaw, which sits on the banks of the Kaladan River, ranks among the deadliest since Burmese junta leader Min Aung Hlaing was elected president in April this year. Myanmar has endured a drawn-out civil war for years, and the conflict intensified sharply after Min removed an elected government in February 2021, triggering widespread resistance and armed opposition across the country. Several ethnic opposition groups are now battling Min's government in multiple regions, with Rakhine emerging as a key battleground in the nationwide conflict.

Rohingya community bears the brunt

Rakhine is home largely to the Rohingya community, a predominantly Muslim group that has faced persecution at the hands of the Burmese junta as well as from other opposition groups. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have been driven out of the Buddhist-majority Southeast Asian nation over the years, many fleeing across the border into neighboring Bangladesh. The latest airstrike adds to a long record of civilian suffering in a country where the military has repeatedly been accused of targeting populated areas in its campaign against armed opposition.