Myanmar's ruling junta bombs village, at least 100 killed

The ruling junta in Myanmar confirmed on Tuesday night (April 11) that it had bombed a village that morning in which at least 100 people were killed, including women, children, and reporters.

The Myanmar junta, confirming the attack, said, “We attacked that place.” A spokesperson for the military government said, “There was an office opening ceremony by the People’s Defence Force this morning about 8 am at Pazi Gyi village.”

The spokesperson said some of those who were killed were anti-coup fighters in uniform, though “there could be some people with civilian clothes”.

The People’s Defence Force is the military wing of the National Unity Government, which portrays itself as Myanmar’s legitimate government, in opposition to the ruling junta.

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According to news reports, the country’s opposition movement was inaugurating its local office outside Pazigyi village in Sagaing region, when a fighter jet dropped bombs on the people who had gathered for the function.

A witness told The Associated Press that those killed also included local leaders of armed groups opposed to the ruling junta, and other opposition organisations. He said that after the bombing, a helicopter fired at the site.

Condemnations by UN, US

The United Nations condemned the attack in a strongly-worded statement. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres repeated his call for the military to end the campaign of violence against the Myanmar population.

Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on Myanmar.

The Secretary-General strongly condemns the attack in Kanbalu Township in Sagaing Region and calls for those responsible to be held accountable.https://t.co/JCOZcT5vQe pic.twitter.com/maAjohjAhy

— United Nations in Myanmar (@UNinMyanmar) April 12, 2023

The US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a tweet, “We are deeply concerned by today’s reports of a military airstrike in Burma’s Sagaing region. The airstrikes underscore the regime’s responsibility for the dire political and humanitarian crisis” in Burma.”

We are deeply concerned by today’s reports of a military airstrike in Burma’s Sagaing region. The airstrikes underscore the regime’s responsibility for the dire political and humanitarian crisis in Burma. https://t.co/sSFO2tcGor

— Vedant Patel (@StateDeputySpox) April 11, 2023

Gregory Meeks, a Democrat Representative and a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs expressed his condemnation in a tweet, “I strongly condemn the Burmese junta’s bombing of civilian populations opposed to military rule that has resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people, including many children.”

RM @RepGregoryMeeks: I strongly condemn the Burmese junta’s bombing of civilian populations opposed to military rule that has resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people, including many children. https://t.co/Lh8Gp6UkZ6

— House Foreign Affairs Committee Dems (@HouseForeign) April 11, 2023

The opposition National Unity Government called the attack a “heinous act by the terrorist military” and said it was “another example of their indiscriminate use of extreme force against innocent civilians, constituting a war crime”.

(With inputs from agencies)