NAYPYITAW: An attack on a Buddhist monastery in Myanmar left 14 people dead and over 20 injured. The deaths occurred in an airstrike conducted by the Myanmar military. The strike took place in the central Sagaing region of Myanmar. The victims were participants in a week-long meditation camp, which had over 100 attendees. This attack is part of a series of strikes launched by the Myanmar military against armed ethnic groups.
The attack occurred around 9:00 AM on Friday in Zwe Le Yo village of Myingyan Township. Civil defense spokesperson Nawe Oo stated that a fighter jet dropped bombs into the Buddhist monastery compound in the village.
A local resident revealed that the aircraft dropped two bombs at a 15-minute interval. The attack took place right in the middle of a seven-day meditation program involving over 100 people. After cremating the bodies of the deceased, the villagers fled to nearby areas.
An investigative team appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council points out that the Myanmar military is deliberately carrying out airstrikes and atrocities targeting homes, schools, and refugee camps. The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) highlighted these findings in its annual report released last Tuesday.
Nicholas Koumjian, head of the mechanism, stated that in light of the increasing airstrikes, they are investigating the military command structure issuing these attack orders. He added that evidence of attacks against schools and hospitals is actively being collected.
For more details: Navamalayalam.com