In brief
A military air strike on the monastery in Chhay Hoe O village, Sagaing region, killed fourteen elderly monks and civilians, with several others wounded. The attack, which occurred at 09:00 local time, struck the site twice, according to a local rescue worker. Civilians were seated for a meditation retreat marking Buddhist Lent when the strike took place. The military has yet to comment on the incident. The conflict has escalated since the 2021 coup, with frequent accusations of civilian casualties.
Fourteen people were killed in a military air strike on a Myanmar monastery early on Friday, opposition fighters and a local rescue worker say.
All victims had been elderly, and several monks were injured. The rescue worker told BBC Burmese that the site had been struck twice. The attack took place at around 09:00 local time (02:30 GMT) in Myaung township, Sagaing region, some 70 km west of Mandalay, AFP reports.
Civilians had gathered for a meditation retreat marking Buddhist Lent when the strike hit. Myanmar's military has not yet commented.
Pro‑democracy rebel Nway Oo Myaung said the victims included 11 men and three women, five from one village and nine from a neighbouring township. The dead were aged between 50 and 70.
A second opposition fighter said he had been searching for survivors when a second aircraft came to bomb again.
The country has been embroiled in civil war since a 2021 military coup ousted Aung San Suu Kyi, and has been under martial rule since. The military, which is often accused of striking public buildings, has previously said it targets only legitimate military objectives.
