Fourteen Dead as Myanmar Military Strikes Monastery in Dawn Attack

Deadly Air Strikes Target Religious Site in Myanmar

At least fourteen people have lost their lives following military air strikes on a monastery in Myanmar in the early hours of Friday morning, according to opposition fighters and a local rescue worker who spoke to media outlets covering the conflict.

The attack, which took place at dawn, claimed exclusively elderly victims, raising serious concerns about the military's targeting of civilian and religious sites amid the country's ongoing armed conflict.

Monks Among Those Wounded

A rescue worker involved in the emergency response confirmed that, in addition to the fourteen fatalities, a number of monks sustained injuries during the strike. The monastery, a place of religious worship and community shelter, suffered significant damage as a result of the assault.

The attack has drawn sharp condemnation from opposition forces, who have been engaged in an armed struggle against Myanmar's military junta since the February 2021 coup that ousted the elected civilian government.

Escalating Violence Against Civilians

This latest incident adds to a growing record of reported strikes on civilian infrastructure in Myanmar, including schools, hospitals, and places of worship. Human rights observers have long warned that such attacks may constitute violations of international humanitarian law.

• All fourteen victims confirmed dead were elderly individuals
• Several monks were reported injured in the strike
• Opposition fighters corroborated accounts from local rescue workers
• The attack occurred in the early morning hours on Friday

Myanmar has been gripped by widespread violence since the military seized power, with civilian casualties mounting steadily across various regions of the country. The international community, including the United Nations, has repeatedly called for an end to military operations targeting non-combatants.

The attack on a place of worship, killing only elderly people, reflects the devastating toll the conflict continues to impose on Myanmar's most vulnerable communities.

Sri Lankan authorities and civil society groups have previously expressed solidarity with the people of Myanmar amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis unfolding in the neighbouring region.

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