UN Condemns Myanmar Airstrike Killing Dozens of Civilians

A collapsed building in Sagaing, central Myanmar, following the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the region on 28 March. The region is also among the worst affected in the conflict between the military and opposition armed groups.

The United Nations has condemned a deadly airstrike in Myanmar that killed dozens of civilians, including children, describing it as part of a “disturbing pattern” of indiscriminate attacks by the country’s military.

At least 24 people were killed and more than 45 wounded on Monday when bombs were dropped on civilians attending a religious festival in Chaung-U township, Sagaing Region, according to reports.

Witnesses said a “motorised paraglider” was used to drop two explosives on the crowd gathered to mark a national holiday.

“This tragic incident, if confirmed, would add to a disturbing pattern of indiscriminate attacks affecting civilians across the country,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists in New York on Wednesday.

“The indiscriminate use of airborne munitions is unacceptable. All parties to the conflict must comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law,” he added.

Sagaing has been one of the regions hardest hit by the conflict that erupted after the February 2021 military coup, which saw the ouster of the elected government and the arrests of key leaders, including President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.

The region also suffered heavy damage in an earthquake earlier this year, worsening humanitarian needs.

According to the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), Sagaing has recorded the highest number of airstrikes and civilian deaths nationwide. Between 28 March and 31 May 2025 alone, over 108 airstrikes were reported there, killing at least 89 people.

OHCHR said the Myanmar military has increasingly relied on air power — including new paramotor tactics capable of carrying 120mm mortar rounds — to strike “civilian-inhabited and earthquake-affected areas,” despite its declared ceasefires in April and May to allow rescue operations after the earthquake.

The report, released in September, documented at least 6,764 civilian deaths and more than 29,000 political arrests since the coup. Nearly half of all verified civilian deaths between April 2024 and May 2025 resulted from aerial attacks — with Sagaing, Mandalay, and Shan among the worst affected.

It also cited deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian structures, including markets, schools, homes, places of worship, and camps for displaced persons.

“Atrocities such as extrajudicial killings, mutilation, and widespread destruction of property have been documented, alongside the use of airstrikes with no discernible military objective, raising serious concerns of war crimes,” OHCHR said.