Airstrike Kills 18 in Central Myanmar

Eighteen people were killed in an airstrike on Tabayin township in Myanmar’s Sagaing region, local officials, a rescue worker, and residents told AFP on Saturday.

The attack, part of ongoing military operations since the 2021 coup, struck on Friday evening, with one bomb hitting a busy teashop. A local administration official said 18 people died and 20 others were injured. “Deaths were high at the teashop as it was crowded,” he added.

A rescue worker who arrived 15 minutes after the strike reported that seven people died instantly and 11 more later succumbed in hospital. The teashop, a traditional social hub, and about a dozen nearby houses were “totally destroyed.”

Airstrike Kills 18 in Central Myanmar — Aftermath of airstrike in Myanmar. Credit: CNN

A survivor recounted watching a televised boxing match when the bomb struck. “As soon as I heard aircraft fly over, I got my body to the ground… I was lucky to return home,” he said.

Funerals for the victims were held on Saturday, with some faces covered due to the severity of injuries, a resident said.

Sagaing has witnessed repeated airstrikes against anti-coup fighters, often resulting in civilian casualties. In May, a junta airstrike in the region killed 22 people, including 20 children, despite a temporary ceasefire following a major earthquake.

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