An aerial attack carried out by the Myanmar army on Thursday in the coastal Rakhine state has left dozens dead, according to local authorities and reports from Al Jazeera. The strike targeted an area that residents described as a residential neighbourhood, where families were present at the time of the bombing.
The military’s public statements indicated that the operation was aimed at insurgent elements operating in the region, a claim that has been met with skepticism by community leaders who assert that the victims were civilians. No official casualty figures have been released by the armed forces, but local health officials and eyewitnesses reported a high number of fatalities and injuries.
Humanitarian organisations operating in the area have called for an independent investigation into the incident, warning that the use of air power in densely populated zones raises serious concerns under international humanitarian law. The United Nations has previously highlighted the vulnerability of civilians in Rakhine, where decades of ethnic tension and armed conflict have created a precarious security environment.
The incident comes amid a broader pattern of violence in Myanmar’s western coast, where clashes between the military and various ethnic armed groups have escalated over the past year. Rakhine, home to the Rohingya minority and other ethnic communities, has been a flashpoint for displacement and humanitarian crises, prompting repeated appeals from the international community for restraint and protection of civilians.
The Myanmar government has not yet provided a detailed account of the operation, and the exact number of casualties remains unconfirmed. As the situation develops, regional observers are monitoring the response from both the military and civil society, while aid agencies prepare to address the immediate needs of those affected by the strike.
Reporting attribution: based on reporting by Al Jazeera — All News — original source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/28/myanmar-army-air-strike-kills-dozens-in-rakhine-state?traffic_source=rss.