Myanmar airstrike on monastery kills 14 during meditation retreat
At least 14 people were killed and 20 others injured after a Myanmar military aircraft dropped a bomb on a Buddhist monastery in the central Sagaing region on Friday, according to an opposition group and a local resident.
The strike took place around 9 am in Swel Le Oh village in Myaung township, about 75 km west of Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city.
The monastery was hosting people attending a week-long meditation retreat when the attack took place, said Nway Oo, a spokesperson for the Civil Defence and Security Organisation of Myaung Township (CDSOM).
According to the group, three women were among those killed in the strike. The bomb hit the monastery compound, where people had gathered for the retreat.
A local resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also confirmed the reported death toll to The Associated Press.
The attack is the latest in a series of airstrikes carried out by Myanmar's military during the country's ongoing conflict. Air attacks have frequently hit areas where armed pro-democracy groups and ethnic armed organisations are active, with civilians also being caught in the violence.
The military has been fighting resistance groups across the country since the 2021 coup, with Sagaing emerging as one of the main areas of armed opposition.
The latest strike has again raised concerns over civilian safety as fighting and air attacks continue across Myanmar.
(With inputs from PTI)
