Myanmar Military Air Strike on Hospital
At least 34 individuals died and dozens sustained injuries following an air strike by Myanmar's military on a hospital in Mrauk-U town, Rakhine state, on Wednesday night. Ground sources reported the incident, which occurred in an area controlled by the Arakan Army, a prominent ethnic armed group engaged in conflict with the military regime.
Khaing Thukha, a spokesperson for the Arakan Army, stated that most of the casualties were patients at the facility. He described the strike as an attack targeting civilian places and indicated that the military should be held accountable. The Arakan Army's health department reported that 10 patients died at the scene, with many more injured. Pro-military accounts on Telegram have claimed that the strikes this week were not aimed at civilians. The Myanmar military has not issued a comment regarding the strikes.
Context of the Conflict
Since the military seized power in a 2021 coup, a civil war has ensued, resulting in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions. In recent months, the military has intensified air strikes and utilized tactics such as paragliders to drop bombs in efforts to reclaim territory from ethnic armies. The military has reportedly made significant gains through these campaigns of airstrikes and heavy bombardment, which some attribute to an influx of technology and equipment from China and Russia.
Previous incidents include an event earlier this year where over 20 people were killed after an army motorized paraglider dropped two bombs on a crowd gathered at a religious festival.
Human Rights and Civil Liberties
Civil liberties have reportedly diminished significantly under the current military administration. Rights groups estimate that tens of thousands of political dissidents have been arrested since the coup.
Upcoming General Election
The Myanmar junta has scheduled a general election for December 28, presenting it as a path toward political stability. However, critics, including Tom Andrews, the United Nations' human rights expert on Myanmar, have referred to it as a "sham election," raising concerns about its fairness and legitimacy. Critics suggest the election may primarily serve to provide the junta with a facade of legitimacy.
In recent weeks, the junta has arrested civilians accused of disrupting the electoral process, including an individual reportedly for sending anti-election messages via social media. Additionally, the junta announced it was seeking 10 activists involved in an anti-election protest. Ethnic armies and other opposition groups have declared their intention to boycott the polls. The Associated Press reported that an election candidate in central Myanmar's Magway Region was detained by an anti-junta group.