Rakhine Airstrike Death Toll Rises to 49 Near Rebel-Controlled Market

An airstrike near a market in Kyauktaw, in Myanmar’s rebel-controlled Rakhine state, killed and injured civilians on Monday, according to the Arakan Army and local aid workers. Initial reports put the toll at 33 dead and 36 wounded, while a later report cited at least 49 dead and 58 injured; the figures could not be independently verified and may have changed as information emerged. The strike reportedly hit near the region’s main wholesale market and an adjacent bridge, an area a local rescue official said was far from active fighting. Myanmar’s military did not immediately comment; it has previously said it targets legitimate military objectives and seeks to avoid civilian harm. The attack is among the deadliest reported in Rakhine in recent months, amid Myanmar’s civil war, which began after the 2021 military coup.
The Arakan Army said 22 of the 58 wounded people were critically injured.
The Arakan Army threatened to take retaliatory measures against those it holds responsible for the airstrikes.
Nearly half a million people have been displaced in Rakhine state because of the conflict between the military and rebel groups.
Al Jazeera reported that survivors had suffered hearing loss and that young women were among those killed.
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