According to a statement from an official of the Thaung Tha Township People’s Movement Committee, buildings within a monastery compound in Magyi Pin Tae village, Thaung Tha Township, Mandalay Region, were damaged following an aerial bombardment by the military council’s forces using helicopter gunships. The attack occurred in the morning of March 18, when two helicopters from the Meiktila Air Base conducted the assault, dropping eight bombs on the area, as confirmed by the official.
While the attack resulted in damage to several structures within the monastery compound and destroyed one civilian house, fortunately, there were no civilian casualties reported. The People’s Movement Committee has issued warnings to local residents to immediately seek shelter in bomb bunkers upon hearing aircraft or helicopter sounds, as the military council continues to conduct daily aerial attacks deliberately targeting civilian populations.
The military council forces have been targeting areas where civilians reside under the pretext of suppressing People’s Defense Forces and revolutionary groups in the region. These attacks have resulted in the destruction of religious buildings, schools, medical facilities, and homes, forcing many civilians to flee their residences and seek refuge elsewhere, according to local sources. The military council’s continued use of airstrikes against civilian targets demonstrates a pattern of deliberate attacks on non-military infrastructure, causing significant displacement and destruction of civilian property.
