Sagaing, October 9: A deadly airstrike carried out by Myanmar’s military junta has killed at least 24 people, including children and women, during a Buddhist festival in Bon To village, near Sagaing city in central Myanmar. The attack, which occurred on Monday evening, has been described by local activists as one of the most brutal assaults in recent months.
According to eyewitnesses, the military launched a missile and air assault during a religious gathering where villagers had assembled for prayers and celebrations. A motorized parachute aircraft dropped multiple bombs on the area, with at least two striking a school building where the festival was underway. The blasts caused widespread devastation, killing 24 people instantly and injuring more than 50 others, some critically.
Authorities fear the death toll could rise to 40 as many victims remain trapped or severely wounded. Witnesses reported that while some residents tried to flee after being warned of an impending air raid, most were caught inside the festival grounds when the explosions occurred.
Hours later, the same parachute reportedly returned and dropped two additional bombs, though these failed to cause further casualties.
Local sources said Bon To village lies in a region frequently controlled by resistance fighters, making it a regular target for military strikes. Human rights groups have condemned the attack as another indiscriminate act of violence against civilians by Myanmar’s ruling regime.
Since the 2021 military coup that overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar has witnessed escalating violence, with more than 7,300 civilians killed, according to human rights organizations. The junta has relied heavily on Chinese and Russian aircraft for such operations and, in recent months, has increasingly used low-cost motorized parachutes to conduct localized bombings.
