Many people are dead or injured after the regime bombed a Buddhist monastery in a village in Magwe Region, where locals were meeting on May 9.
“The entire monastery was destroyed by the airstrike,” said a male volunteer assisting people displaced by the war in Kyauk Htu, where the village is located. The bodies of 13 people have been recovered, but the man suspects that over 20 were killed during the attack in Akyipan Palun at about 11 am. Over 30 injured people have been sent for medical care.
Over 50 local leaders, seniors, and human rights volunteers were meeting in the monastery when an aircraft dropped three shells. The first one caused the building to collapse. When people attempted to escape the wreckage, another shell struck it.
“Many people were under the collapsed building…It’s so brutal and terrible!”
He said the last shell was incendiary, causing a large fire.
As many of the bodies were burnt, volunteers faced difficulties in counting the number of victims killed in the attack. Many of the injured have lost their arms and legs.
Residents fled for safety following the attack on the village located about six miles from the town of Hsaw. Regime drones have been spotted circling over the village after the bombing.
The Military Council has suspended phone and internet services around Kyauk Htu, posing challenges for Khonumthung News to report on this attack.