By Hafizur Rahman
Mrauk-U, Rakhine State, August 26, 2025
A Myanmar military airstrike on Mrauk-U town late Monday night killed at least 12 civilians, including 5 children, and injured 20 others, local sources confirmed.
The attack struck Dain Kyike ward at around 11:25 p.m., where families had gathered in preparation for a donation ceremony. Eight houses were destroyed in the bombing. Residents said the strike came while most people were asleep, describing it as a deliberate attempt to target civilians.
Pattern of Civilian Attacks
This is not the first time the military has bombed civilian areas in Rakhine.
May 2025: An airstrike on Ywama ward in Kyauktaw killed 8 civilians.
May 2025: Another strike on Thone Ya Wai village in Rathedaung killed 12 civilians.
January 2025: An airstrike near Yain Chaung village in Mrauk-U killed 28 civilians, including women and children.
January 2025: A separate attack on Kyauk Ni Maw village in Ramree killed 26 civilians.
Rights groups say the repeated targeting of civilian communities amounts to deliberate and indiscriminate attacks, clear violations of international humanitarian law.
Calls for Accountability
Local civil society groups condemned the Mrauk-U airstrike as another war crime against civilians, urging the international community to hold Myanmar’s military accountable.
“These attacks are not isolated. They form part of a systematic pattern of atrocities against innocent people. Without accountability, the cycle of killings will continue,” one activist told Rohingya Khobor.
As Rakhine State reels under escalating conflict between the junta and the Arakan Army, ordinary people, especially Rohingya and other ethnic minorities, remain trapped between two warring forces, paying the highest price.
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