Myanmar’s military launched airstrikes during a traditional festival in the country’s central region, killing At least 40 people, including several children, witnesses told AFP.
The attack took place in Chaung U township, where hundreds had gathered to celebrate the Thadingyut full moon festival, which coincided with an anti-junta demonstration on Monday evening.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos as military aircraft dropped bombs over the crowd around 7pm.
One woman spoke on condition of anonymity, “The committee alerted people and one-third of the crowd managed to flee. But immediately, one motor-powered paraglider flew right over the crowd. Children were completely torn apart,”
She added, “As of this morning, we were still collecting body parts from the ground- pieces of flesh, limbs, parts of bodies that were blown apart.”
Rescue workers and volunteers spent hours collecting body parts from the festival grounds. Another eyewitness added that two of his friends were killed before his eyes, and he attended funerals for nine others the following day.
Amnesty International condemned the nighttime assault and said in a statement that it should serve as a gruesome wake-up call that civilians in Myanmar need urgent protection.
Amnesty’s Myanmar researcher Joe Freeman said, “The international community may have forgotten about the conflict in Myanmar, but the Myanmar military is taking advantage of reduced scrutiny to carry out war crimes with impunity.”
The rights group urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to intensify diplomatic pressure on the junta as ASEAN officials prepare for a meeting later this month.
