A monastery in Sagapin village, Myittha Township, Mandalay Region, was targeted in an aerial bombardment by the military council’s forces, resulting in significant damage to Buddha statues and buildings, according to local sources. The attack occurred on August 23, 2023, at approximately 9:16 AM, when a fighter jet from the military’s Tada-U air base deliberately targeted the monastery with 500-pound bombs. While the attack caused extensive damage to religious structures and Buddha statues within the monastery compound, no civilian casualties were reported in the incident, as confirmed by local sources.
Prior to this attack, on August 22 at around 7:30 PM, the military council had also launched an attack on the same monastery using a suicide drone. This pattern of deliberately targeting religious structures constitutes a violation of international law and could be classified as a war crime, according to local residents. Since the military coup, the council’s forces have repeatedly targeted civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and religious buildings, often resulting in civilian casualties and injuries. The attacks have been particularly focused on areas where resistance to military control remains strong.
Sagapin village is located in an area of Mandalay Region where People’s Defense Forces maintain a significant presence and continue to resist military council control. Local residents suggest that these attacks on civilian targets are intended to intimidate the local population, but they maintain that such tactics will not deter their unified resistance against military rule. Currently, villagers are living in a state of heightened alert, concerned about the possibility of further attacks by the military council’s forces. The targeting of religious sites has particularly alarmed the local community, as monasteries have traditionally been considered sanctuaries and protected spaces in Myanmar society.
