An airstrike on a busy market in western Myanmar has killed at least 50 people and wounded dozens more, with families gathering at the site to search for relatives as the country’s civil war continues to take a heavy toll on civilians.
The attack struck Kyauktaw in Rakhine state around midday on 28 September, according to local witnesses and the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group that controls the area.
At least 58 people were also wounded, according to the Arakan Army. The group said the victims included vendors, shoppers, people passing through the market and workers handling cargo.
The attack hit the market and a nearby bridge that had become an important centre for local trade during the conflict. The area has relied heavily on river transport, including a route connecting communities with trade towards India.
On Tuesday, families gathered at the site as bodies were recovered and taken to a makeshift area for identification.
The attack has drawn concern from the United Nations, which said the rising violence in Rakhine was further evidence of the dangers facing civilians and displaced communities.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the reported airstrike and called for an immediate end to violence and greater protection for civilians, according to UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
UN human rights chief Volker Turk also warned of the severe conditions facing civilians across Myanmar, with Rakhine among the areas hardest hit by the conflict.
The UN said the continuing violence means conditions are not currently in place for the safe, voluntary and sustainable return of refugees and displaced people, including Rohingya refugees.
The Myanmar military and the Arakan Army have been engaged in heavy fighting in Rakhine, where the armed group has seized control of large areas.
Myanmar has been in civil war since the military seized power in February 2021, triggering widespread armed resistance and renewed fighting with ethnic armed groups.
The conflict has killed around 100,000 people and displaced more than 3.5 million, according to UN-linked estimates.
The Kyauktaw attack is reportedly the deadliest airstrike in Rakhine since a hospital was bombed in December, killing at least 30 people.
The latest death toll could rise as authorities and local residents continue recovering bodies from the market area.
