At least 24 people were killed and 47 others wounded in central Myanmar after the military dropped two bombs from a motorised paraglider on a peaceful protest, according to the country’s government-in-exile.
The attack took place on Monday evening in Chaung U township, where around 100 people had gathered for a candlelight vigil marking Thadingyut, a full moon festival.
The event had also been organised as a peaceful demonstration against military conscription and the upcoming national election, while calling for the release of jailed leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Witnesses said the explosions tore through the crowd within minutes. “Children were completely torn apart,” one organiser told AFP, describing scenes of devastation as families struggled to identify bodies.
The Sagaing region, where the strike occurred, has been one of the main centres of resistance since the 2021 coup that plunged Myanmar into civil war. Local militias known as the People’s Defence Force had warned of possible air attacks and tried to disperse the protest, but the paramotors arrived earlier than expected.
More than 4,000 people have been killed and millions displaced since the military seized power. The junta, which has recently acquired new drones and aircraft from China and received technical support from Russia, has intensified its air campaign to regain lost territory.
The National Unity Government, Myanmar’s exiled administration, condemned the attack as another deliberate assault on civilians and urged the international community to take stronger action against the junta.
