International Desk: The death toll from a devastating airstrike by the military in Myanmar’s Rakhine State—bordering Bangladesh—has risen to at least 50.
On Wednesday (September 30), citing international media reports, it was revealed that more than fifty other people were injured in this deadly attack, with many in critical condition.
Amidst this bloody situation, the United Nations has urged the Malaysian government to immediately suspend the Rohingya repatriation process.
According to news agencies, the Myanmar junta forces launched this indiscriminate attack targeting civilian areas in the town of Kyauktaw.
The armed rebel group, the Arakan Army, has alleged that the military dropped bombs on local markets, educational institutions, and residential buildings. Previously, in December, the junta forces had killed at least 30 people by bombing a hospital in Rakhine.
This horrific airstrike occurred just as the process of repatriating approximately 5,000 Rohingya from Malaysia under an agreement with the Myanmar government was underway; in the first phase, 1,500 Rohingya—including children—had departed on a Myanmar Navy ship last Tuesday.
Expressing deep concern over the conflict-ridden situation, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, stated, “The ongoing violence in Rakhine State makes it clear that conditions conducive to the safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable return of Rohingya and other displaced persons have not been established.”
Civil war in Myanmar has intensified since the military coup of 2021. The ongoing conflict in this Southeast Asian nation has claimed over a hundred thousand lives and displaced more than 3.5 million people so far.
