KYAUKTAW: The death toll from a military air strike in western Myanmar rose to 50 on Tuesday, two local aid workers at the scene said, the day after it struck a busy market.
Witnesses say the military bombed the riverside commercial hub in Kyauktaw town, Rakhine state, around midday (0530 GMT) on Monday, when the initial death toll was reported at around 30. "The death toll has reached 50, and 58 people were injured," said aid worker Wai Hun Aung, warning the final fatality figure may be higher because some bodies were lost in fires following the bombing. A second local volunteer gave the same death toll, requesting anonymity for security reasons. It has not been possible to contact the Myanmar military for comment on the attack.
The Arakan Army (AA) — a local ethnic rebel force controlling the area — earlier on Tuesday said the number of fatalities reached 49, with 58 more wounded — 22 in critical condition. Those killed were "innocent passersby, market vendors, shoppers and cargo loaders", a statement said.
The market and adjacent bridge hit in Monday's bombardment had become a hive of trading activity since the civil war broke out in Myanmar following a 2021 military coup. — AFP
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