The military council’s airstrike on Yay Htut village in Sapaygyi Township, Mandalay Region, has resulted in 24 civilian deaths, according to a representative from the Pyin Oo Lwin District People’s Defense Force. The attack occurred around 1 PM on April 19, when a fighter jet from the Meiktila Air Force Base dropped two bombs on the village. The aerial bombardment immediately killed 13 civilians and caused fires that destroyed 25 houses in the village.
More than 30 people were injured in the attack, with 11 of the severely wounded victims later succumbing to their injuries while receiving medical treatment, bringing the total death toll to 24. Local sources indicate that the death toll could rise further as some of the remaining injured civilians are in critical condition. Human rights activists have pointed out that such deliberate aerial attacks on civilian settlements constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. The military council’s forces have consistently targeted civilian areas during conflicts with People’s Defense Forces, frequently conducting airstrikes and artillery bombardments that result in civilian casualties.
The international community has strongly condemned these brutal attacks on civilians, yet the military council continues to carry out such violent assaults. This incident in Yay Htut village represents another example of the military’s ongoing campaign of violence against its own people, which has characterized their operations since the coup. The targeting of civilian areas with airstrikes has become a recurring strategy of the military council, causing widespread destruction, displacement, and loss of civilian lives across the country. Despite mounting international pressure and condemnation, these attacks on civilian populations persist, highlighting the urgent need for effective intervention to protect Myanmar’s civilian population from such military aggression.
