KYauktaw, Myanmar: The death toll from a Myanmar military airstrike near a crowded market in Kyauktaw township, in western Rakhine State, has risen to at least 50, according to local aid workers and the Arakan Army, which controls the area.
The strike took place around noon on September 28, when a fighter jet reportedly dropped two bombs near the market and an adjacent bridge. The attack killed vendors, shoppers and passers-by, while 58 people were initially reported injured, including 22 in critical condition.
The Arakan Army condemned the attack and said it would take retaliatory measures. Myanmar’s military has not immediately commented, although it has previously said its airstrikes target legitimate military positions and accused resistance groups of terrorism.
Kyauktaw is located in territory controlled by the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group seeking greater autonomy for Rakhine State. The latest attack comes amid continued fighting across Myanmar following the 2021 military coup.
