The Myanmar military launched airstrikes and artillery attacks on civilian areas in Indaw and Kyainseikgyi without any ongoing clashes, resulting in the deaths of three civilians and injuries to eight others, according to local resistance groups.
In Indaw Township, Sagaing Region, military aircraft bombed the Indaw Monastery on April 1 at around 12:30 PM. The airstrike killed two civilians and injured eight others, according to an official from Indaw Revolution-IR. A sacred pagoda, Yattawmu Pagoda, was also damaged in the attack.
“We still don’t know the exact condition of the eight injured. But two people have died, and the pagoda was hit by bombs. Most of those remaining at the military outpost targeted in the attack are junta forces, Pyu Saw Htee militias, and non-CDM personnel. There are very few civilians left in the area,” said the IR spokesperson.
Meanwhile, in Kyainseikgyi Township, Karen State, junta forces fired heavy artillery into villages without any preceding clashes, killing one civilian, according to the Karen National Union (KNU).
At around 5:30 PM on April 1, troops from the junta’s 12th Military Operations Command in Kyainseikgyi fired five 120mm mortar shells into Wizza Kon village. The explosions caused the death of a 57-year-old woman, who suffered a fatal heart attack and severe head injuries due to the blast, the KNU reported.
The KNU condemned the junta for targeting religious sites, hospitals, schools, and civilian homes at a time when the people of Myanmar are already suffering from both military violence and natural disasters. The organization accused the military of deliberately attacking non-military targets without regard for human suffering.
