No fewer than 24 people were killed and 47 wounded while protesting against Myanmar’s military government after an army motorized paraglider dropped two bombs on the crowd, a spokesperson for the government-in-exile told BBC Burmese.
The military assaulted on Monday evening as over 100 people gathered in Chaung U township, central Myanmar, for a national holiday.
Thousands have perished and millions have been displaced since a military coup in 2021, which began a civil war fought by armed rebel groups and ethnic militias.
After losing control of more than half of the country, the army is regaining ground with a particularly brutal campaign of airstrikes and heavy bombardment.
Monday’s bombing is one of hundreds of similar air attacks carried out by Myanmar’s military this year.
In recent months, the military government has expanded its air force with new drones purchased from China, which is now fully supporting the junta, as well as technical aid from Russia.
That, combined with Beijing’s pressure on rebels along its border with Myanmar to stop supplying arms to opposition organizations, means the military tables have turned, and insurgents are being forced to give up many of their territorial gains won over the last two years.
The attack on Monday targeted a community in the Sagaing region where people had gathered for a candlelight vigil for Thadingyut, a full moon festival.
It had been planned as a peaceful protest against the junta’s military conscription and the impending national election.
It also demanded the liberation of political detainees, including Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratically elected leader who was overthrown in the coup and imprisoned.
The Sagaing region has been a crucial battleground in the war, with large portions of it controlled by volunteer militias.
These gangs, known as the People’s Defence Force (PDF), also control the local government. During Monday’s gathering, a local PDF official informed BBC Burmese that they had received information about a potential airborne attack.
They attempted to terminate the protest immediately, but the paramotors, as paragliders are known locally, arrived earlier than intended, he explained.
It all transpired in seven minutes, he explained. He claims the explosion wounded his leg, although some individuals around him were killed.
Locals stated that it was hard to identify the bodies in the aftermath.
“Children were completely torn apart,” another woman who had helped to organize the event told AFP news agency. She was not at the scene but attended funerals on Tuesday and added that they were still “collecting body parts.”
Amnesty International condemned the junta’s use of motorized paragliders to attack communities, citing a “disturbing trend.”
It was gathered that the junta is relying on paramotors due to a lack of aircraft, helicopters, and jet fuel.
International sanctions have made it difficult for Myanmar’s rulers to obtain military equipment, but recent technology from China has helped.
According to Amnesty International’s Myanmar researcher, the recent attack should serve as a wake-up call for the need for immediate protection for civilians in Myanmar.
Freeman also urged ASEAN, the Southeast-Asian regional bloc, to increase pressure on the junta and revise their approach, which has failed the people for nearly five years.
Myanmar is set to conduct general elections in December, the first since the 2021 coup. Critics argue that the vote will not be free and fair and that it is intended to legitimize military rule.
Many opposition parties have been outlawed, and voting is expected to take place in just approximately half of the country, in areas under military control.
