Local sources have confirmed that the military council conducted an aerial bombardment targeting a school and residential houses in Pyinhtaw Ward, Ann Township, Rakhine State. Around 12:00 PM on July 4, 2024, military council fighter jets dropped two bombs in Pyinhtaw Ward, causing significant damage to civilian homes and school buildings. Authorities are currently investigating whether there were any casualties or injuries resulting from the attack.
Ann Township was captured by the Arakan Army (AA) on December 20, 2023, and was previously the location of the Western Command Headquarters. Currently, the town is completely free from military presence and has been peaceful with no active conflicts. However, the military council deliberately targeted this civilian area with aerial attacks despite the absence of any military targets, according to local residents. The bombing of civilian infrastructure, including educational facilities, represents a clear violation of international humanitarian law and constitutes a war crime, as pointed out by activists and observers.
The military council has been consistently launching aerial attacks targeting civilian populations in areas that have fallen out of their control. Due to the increasing frequency of these aerial bombardments and the resulting civilian casualties, revolutionary organizations have strongly advised the public to pay careful attention to air raid warnings and construct sturdy bomb shelters for protection. The destruction of civilian infrastructure, particularly schools where students pursue their education, demonstrates the military council’s continued disregard for international laws and humanitarian principles. Local resistance groups emphasize that these attacks on civilian targets, including educational facilities, clearly demonstrate the military council’s pattern of committing war crimes against its own people.
