At least 19 students were killed and more than 20 others injured after a military air raid struck two private schools in western Myanmar’s Rakhine State, according to the Arakan Army (AA).
The ethnic armed group, which has been locked in fierce battles with the junta for control of Rakhine, said the attack took place shortly after midnight on Friday in Kyauktaw township.
Victims were reported to be between 15 and 21 years old, many of them asleep when the bombs fell.
“This tragedy is heartbreaking. No parent should have to bury their children because of war,” the AA said in a statement on Telegram, adding that it shared the grief of families who lost their loved ones.
Local news outlet Myanmar Now reported that a military aircraft dropped two 500-pound bombs on one of the schools.
The explosion left dozens wounded, while rescue efforts were hampered by damaged infrastructure and poor communication in the area.
International agencies have condemned the strike. UNICEF described it as “a brutal attack on innocent lives,” warning that children in Rakhine are increasingly bearing the brunt of Myanmar’s escalating conflict.
The junta has not issued a response to the accusations. Repeated calls to military officials for comment went unanswered.
The Arakan Army has gained significant ground in Rakhine over the past year, challenging the military’s hold on the region.
The fighting there is part of a wider nationwide rebellion that erupted after the 2021 coup, when the generals toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government.
Rights groups say the military has repeatedly targeted civilian areas with air and artillery strikes, a tactic that has left thousands dead and displaced millions since the coup.
Analysts warn that the situation in Rakhine is likely to worsen as the junta struggles to contain resistance on multiple fronts.
“Every new strike on schools or hospitals only deepens resentment and fuels the cycle of violence,” a Yangon-based political observer wrote on social media.
AFRIPOST reports that with internet and phone services unreliable in Kyauktaw, it remains difficult to verify the full scale of Friday night’s attack. But for the families of the victims, the devastation is already immeasurable.