The abbot of a monastery in Kyauk Kwin village, Hpapun Township, Karen State, has passed away following an unprovoked aerial bombardment by the military council forces. According to local residents, the incident occurred on the evening of March 5th when military helicopters targeted and bombed the monastery despite there being no active fighting in the area. The attack also included machine gun fire from the aircraft, as confirmed by local witnesses. The deceased abbot, Venerable Bhaddanta Wisudha, was directly hit by bomb fragments during the assault.
The aerial attack resulted in severe casualties, with two other monks sustaining serious injuries who had to be transferred to Hpa-an city for medical treatment. The funeral ceremony for the deceased abbot was conducted on March 6th, as reported by local residents. The monastery suffered extensive structural damage from the bombardment. Local sources emphasized that this was a deliberate targeting of the religious institution by the military council forces, as there was no military engagement or conflict in the vicinity at the time of the attack. The incident has been documented as another example of the military council’s pattern of targeting civilian and religious infrastructure.
Human rights observers have noted that such attacks on religious buildings constitute war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law. Historical records show that the military council has repeatedly targeted religious buildings and civilian areas in their operations throughout the country. The destruction of the monastery and the death of the abbot have deeply affected the local community, who view this as a direct assault on both their religious institutions and civilian population. The incident has further highlighted the military council’s continued use of disproportionate force and indiscriminate attacks against civilian targets, even in areas where there is no active resistance or military confrontation.
