Myanmar airstrike on monastery kills 14 during Buddhist retreat

Myanmar military airstrike on a monastery during a Buddhist retreat killed 14 people, including 11 men and three women, according to two local opposition fighters who witnessed the aftermath. The strike occurred at approximately 9:00 a.m. Friday in Myaung township, part of the central Sagaing region, one of the primary zones of resistance against the military junta. The attack took place amid a three-month Buddhist Lent meditation retreat, during which the victims had gathered at the monastery. They were aged between 50 and 70 years. Nway Oo Myaung, a pro-democracy rebel who assisted in recovering the bodies, stated that the attack was deliberate. He described the victims as having stayed at the monastery for the entire retreat, which coincided with the rainy season. According to another local opposition fighter, who spoke under anonymity, five of the deceased were from his village, while the remaining nine hailed from nearby villages. This individual also recounted that military aircraft returned to the area while rescuers were attempting to retrieve the victims. “While we were trying to rescue people, the aircraft came to bomb a second time,” he said. The Myanmar military did not respond to requests for comment. Airstrikes have become a key tool in the ongoing conflict, which began following the February 2021 coup that ousted the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. The military's actions have sparked widespread armed resistance from pro-democracy groups and ethnic minority factions. Over 100,000 individuals are believed to have lost their lives in the conflict. Analysts suggest that the military uses aircraft supplied by China and Russia to exert pressure on opposing forces and offset challenges on the battlefield. This recent attack follows accusations by United Nations investigators that the military has conducted “indiscriminate and intentional aerial attacks against civilians.” The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, tasked with examining serious international crimes, noted in a recent report that airstrikes have consistently targeted civilian areas. Monasteries and schools are among the public structures often cited as being hit in such attacks. The Myanmar government has dismissed these claims, labeling them as “one-sided allegations” based on what it considers unverified and inaccurate information. Conflict monitoring group ACLED reported earlier this month that the military has increasingly targeted civilian infrastructure and public gatherings, including weddings and religious festivals, as a means to instill fear and psychological pressure. The escalation of attacks has intensified around the country’s elections, which were held early in 2026. These elections were widely regarded as fraudulent by democracy supporters, who argued they were intended to legitimize military rule. Aung San Suu Kyi was excluded from the process, her political party was marginalized, and critics of military authority faced incarceration. The UN investigative body observed a marked rise in aerial attacks in the lead-up to the elections. The elections eventually enabled coup leader Min Aung Hlaing to assume the role of civilian president in April. He transferred his position as commander-in-chief of the armed forces to a trusted associate. Since then, Min Aung Hlaing has engaged in international diplomacy to end Myanmar’s isolation and gain broader recognition for his administration. His visits to India, China, Laos, and Thailand have drawn criticism from activists who argue that such efforts serve to bolster the regime rather than promote genuine reform.