24 dead and fifty wounded: army paraglider attacked a Buddhist festival in Myanmar

At least 24 people were killed and nearly fifty injured in an attack by an army paraglider on a Buddhist festival in central Myanmar. According to a spokesman for the government-in-exile, the military dropped two bombs on a peaceful protest during the celebration, resulting in numerous civilian casualties. This is reported by BBC, writes UNN.

Details

The tragedy occurred on Monday evening in the town of Chaung U, Sagaing region, where about a hundred people gathered for the Thadingyut festival – a full moon festival, which this year also became a symbolic protest against the military dictatorship. Those present demanded the release of political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratically elected leader ousted during the 2021 coup.

According to eyewitnesses, military paramotors appeared unexpectedly.

It all happened in seven minutes. We were trying to end the protest when we received a warning about a possible attack, but they arrived earlier than we expected.

He added that he himself sustained a leg injury, while many people next to him died.

Local residents report horrific consequences of the explosion.

Children were completely torn to pieces

She noted that during the funeral, "they were still collecting body parts."

Amnesty International states that the junta's use of motorized paragliders to attack communities is part of an "alarming trend."

The attack should be a terrible alarm signal that the civilian population of Myanmar needs urgent protection

He called on the regional bloc ASEAN to "increase pressure on the junta and review an approach that has yielded no results for almost five years."

Context

Since the 2021 coup, thousands of people have died in Myanmar, and millions have become refugees. Having lost control over more than half of the territory, the military junta is conducting a large-scale campaign of airstrikes and bombings, receiving technical support from China and Russia. Beijing, according to BBC sources, not only supplies drones but also pressures rebels to stop helping opposition forces.

According to the BBC Burmese service, the army is increasingly using paramotors due to a shortage of aircraft and helicopters and limited access to aviation fuel due to international sanctions. Analysts warn that such attacks are becoming a common tool for intimidating civilians, while the international community remains inactive.