Junta drone strike on Myingyan monastery kills four displaced civilians as 10,000 flee arson attacks

Mizzima

A targeted drone strike by military junta forces on the Magyikan Monastery killed four civilians, including two elderly women and a young child, on the afternoon of 4 March. The monastery, located in northern Myingyan Township, Mandalay Region, was serving as a temporary shelter for hundreds of internally displaced persons (IDPs) who had fled recent military incursions in the region.

“These are IDPs staying at the monastery because they have nowhere else to go. It seems the military just drops bombs whenever they see a crowd. There are four deaths, and others were injured,” a local man said.

According to locals, the deceased include two elderly women over the age of 70, a 35-year-old mother, and her seven-year-old daughter from Nabu-aing village. Four others were also severely injured in the incident.

The Military Commission column, consisting of about 80 soldiers, arrived at Nabu-aing village via Hnap-cho-taw village. They have been stationed there for over a week and are currently reportedly burning and destroying homes.

“They’ve been stationed in the village for over a week. This morning, they started setting fire to the houses. Plumes of smoke can be seen rising above the village. All the villagers have fled and are now displaced,” a local man said on 5 March.

Due to the operations of this Military Commission column, approximately 10,000 local residents from villages in northern Myingyan Township including Nabu-aing, Myin-thar, and Bon Ywar, have been forced to flee, facing significant hardships regarding drinking water and shelter.