An airstrike on a Buddhist monastery in Myanmar’s central Sagaing area killed at least 23 individuals who have been taking shelter in the compound, separate sources stated Friday (July 11, 2025).
The in a single day aerial assault on the monastery in Lin Ta Lu village, in Sagaing area’s Sagaing township, injured about 30 different folks, of which 10 have been in a crucial situation, based on a member of a resistance group.
The resistance member — who spoke on situation of anonymity — informed The Associated Press that 23 civilians together with 4 youngsters have been killed after a jet fighter dropped a bomb round 1 a.m. on a constructing in the village’s monastery the place greater than 150 folks from close by villages have been taking shelter to keep away from combating in the area in latest weeks.
Myanmar’s impartial Democratic Voice of Burma on-line media reported that the dying toll might be as excessive as 30. That couldn’t be instantly confirmed.
The army didn’t instantly remark on the incident on the monastery, which is situated about 35 km (20 miles) northwest of Mandalay, the nation’s second largest metropolis. In the previous, the military has stated it solely assaults reliable targets of battle, accusing the resistance forces of being terrorists.
Myanmar has been in turmoil for the reason that military seized energy from the elected authorities of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, triggering a civil battle. After peaceable demonstrations have been put down with deadly drive, many opponents of army rule took up arms, and enormous components of the nation are actually embroiled in battle.
The army has more and more used airstrikes to counter opposition forces, together with the armed People’s Defense Forces in Sagaing area, a stronghold of armed resistance. The resistance has no efficient defence towards air assaults.
The monastery assault comes weeks after a whole bunch of troopers took half in an offensive with tanks and varied plane in an space of about 5 km (three miles) from Lin Ta Lu to regain territories managed by the resistance teams.
Thousands of individuals from close by villages have been displaced to the opposite cities and villages together with Lin Ta Lu, the resistance fighter stated.
Nay Phone Latt, a spokesperson for the opposition’s National Unity Government, informed the AP that the army regime has been making an attempt to retake areas managed by the resistance forward of a deliberate common election later this yr. The ballot is extensively seen as an try to normalise the army’s seizure of energy by means of the poll field and to ship a end result that ensures the generals retain management.
