Myanmar military airstrike on Mrauk-U Hospital kills at least 31

Guwahati: A Myanmar military air strike on Wednesday evening hit the general hospital in Mrauk-U, western Rakhine state, killing at least 31 people and injuring dozens, according to an on-site aid worker.

Wai Hun Aung reported that 68 people were wounded, with casualties expected to rise.

At least 20 bodies were seen outside the hospital overnight.

The attack comes as the Myanmar military steps up its operations ahead of elections scheduled to begin on December 28.

Since seizing power in a 2021 coup, the junta has increased air strikes each year to regain control over areas held by ethnic and pro-democracy armed groups.

Rakhine state is largely controlled by the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic minority separatist group active before the 2021 coup.

The AA’s health department confirmed that 10 hospital patients were killed instantly in the strike.

The group is one of the strongest opposition forces in the ongoing civil war, alongside other ethnic minority fighters and pro-democracy partisans.

The AA, which previously formed part of the “Three Brotherhood Alliance,” now operates independently after the other factions agreed to Chinese-mediated truces.

Conflict monitors say the AA controls all but three of Rakhine’s 17 townships, although its activities are largely confined to the state, limited by the Bay of Bengal to the west and mountainous terrain to the north.

The group has also faced accusations of human rights abuses, including against the Rohingya minority.

The military’s blockade of Rakhine has worsened the humanitarian situation, with the World Food Programme reporting rising hunger and malnutrition in the region.

The upcoming elections, widely criticised by international observers, are promoted by the junta as a measure to restore order, with China supporting the vote to stabilise Myanmar.

A junta spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.