Military strike kills 14 elderly at Myanmar monastery

Fourteen people, all aged between 50 and 70, were killed in an air strike early on Friday at a monastery in Myaung township, Sagaing region. The strike hit the site twice, leaving monks injured and civilians dead.

The attack occurred at about 09:00 local time, roughly 70 kilometres west of Mandalay. Civilians had gathered for a Buddhist Lent meditation retreat at the monastery when the planes descended.

Opposition fighters reported that the victims included 11 men and three women, with five from the local village and nine from a neighbouring township. “Older people had entered the meditation centre,” a local fighter noted.

A second unnamed opposition fighter, who joined rescue efforts, said another aircraft bombed the site while they were searching for survivors, adding the strike was repeated.

Myanmar has faced a protracted civil conflict for five years, following a 2021 military coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi. The army, accused at times of targeting civilian sites, has so far stated it only attacks legitimate enemy positions.