Myanmar rebels say 49 killed in government strikes

Myanmar's army struck an area near a market in the city of Kyauktau in Rakhine state, the Associated Press (AP) reported, citing data from local rescuers and the Arakan Army rebel group that controls the area. According to them, the military dropped two bombs there. The airstrike killed at least 49 people, injured another 58 people. Independent verification of this information is not possible, with photos and videos of burning buildings and cars around the market appearing on social media. The Myanmar army has not yet commented on the strike. It has previously said it is targeting military targets.

Wai Hong Aung, one of the heads of rescuers in Rakhine, said that the Kyauktau market is one of the main centers of wholesale trade in the region. At the time of the attack, there were many traders, buyers and passers-by in and around the market, causing a significant number of casualties. According to Wai Hong Aung, “this is one of the strongest airstrikes in Rakhine.”.

The Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group fighting Myanmar government forces, controls parts of Rakhine, where many Rohingya Muslims live. The civil war in Myanmar broke out after the military coup of 2021. The military leadership of Myanmar considers the Arakan Army and other similar groups terrorists.

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