Myanmar Military Airstrike on Buddhist Monastery Kills 14, Injures 20 in Sagaing

A meditation retreat in Myanmar's central Sagaing region turned deadly on Friday after a military airstrike hit a Buddhist monastery, killing 14 people and injuring around 20 others, according to an opposition group and a local resident. 

The strike took place at about 9 am local time in Swel Le Oh village in Myaung township, around 75 kilometres west of Mandalay. The monastery was hosting a week-long meditation retreat when the attack took place.

According to Nway Oo, spokesperson for the Civil Defence and Security Organisation of Myaung Township (CDSOM), a jet fighter dropped a bomb inside the monastery compound while people were attending the retreat. The 14 people killed included three women. Information about the identities of those killed and the condition of the injured was not immediately available.

A Retreat Turns Into A Deadly Attack 

What was supposed to be a week of meditation and spiritual exercise turned tragic when a bomb exploded on the monastery property.

The claimed attack has renewed fears about civilian safety in Sagaing, one of Myanmar's war zones. The area has witnessed combat between the military and parties opposing military control, including pro-democracy movements and ethnic armed groupings.

The latest casualties were reported by Nway Oo, while a local resident also confirmed the incident, according to the reports.

Why Are Civilians Increasingly At Risk?

Air power has become an important component of the Myanmar military's efforts against armed groups. However, numerous allegations from opposition parties and citizens indicate that such assaults have resulted in civilian deaths and injuries.

Friday's incident is the most recent reported incidence of an aircraft attack on a civilian site. The monastery's use as a meditation retreat has raised worries about the hazards that people confront away from the battlefield.

Myanmar's Conflict Continues To Claim Civilian Lives

Myanmar has been embroiled in a prolonged armed war between the military, pro-democracy movements, and ethnic armed groups. Fighting has continued in several sections of the country, with airstrikes becoming a common feature of military operations.

The reported attack in Myaung comes amid growing concern over civilian deaths from air operations. It also comes after other devastating airstrikes, including a previously reported raid on a hospital in rebel-held Rakhine, which killed over 30 people.

However, for those within the monastery on Friday morning, the battle struck in the midst of a retreat, killing at least 14 people and injuring 20.