According to the United Nations, schoolchildren “performing dances” may have been among those slain when the Myanmar military targeted a village event allegedly organized by its domestic opponents.
The Myanmar military confirmed that it bombed a village celebration, killing up to 100 people, including children.
The deadliest recent military onslaught targeted northwest Myanmar’s Sagaing area. The attack was called “senseless and brutal” by regime opponents.
Volker Turk, the UN Human Rights chief, condemned the attack, stating that “it appears that schoolchildren performing dances and other civilians were among the victims.”
If innocent civilians were slain, according to military officials, it was because they were “forced to support terrorists.
Kyaw Zaw, a spokesman for the National Unity Government (NUG), an opposing shadow government, estimated that nearly 100 people were slain when jets dropped bombs on villagers before an attack by helicopter gunships as part of “another senseless, barbaric, and brutal military attack.”
In 2021, the junta overthrew a decade of reforms led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.
The military has responded to armed protesters with airstrikes and heavy weapons.
Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres condemned Tuesday’s attacks and reiterated his call for the military to “end the campaign of violence against the entire Myanmar population.”
Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun informed the military broadcast channel Myawaddy that the attack occurred during a NUG ceremony.
The celebration apparently supported the PDF, the National Union of Germans’ military wing.
“We conducted the attack during that opening ceremony,” Members of the PDF were slain, according to Zaw Min Tun.
“Those who oppose the government of the nation are the nation’s citizens.
“According to our ground intelligence, we struck their weapons storage facility, which exploded, killing several.”
He said, “It is likely that some of those who were compelled to support them also perished.”
Residents and media sources estimated 80–100 deaths, but a PDF member said 100 carcasses. Including 16 children, had been cremated after the attack.
