A horrific nighttime airstrike by Myanmar’s military has devastated a hospital in the rebel-held Mrauk-U township of Rakhine state. The attack, which occurred late Wednesday, tragically claimed the lives of 34 people, including patients and medical personnel, with approximately 80 others injured. This hospital was a crucial healthcare lifeline for residents in a region where ongoing conflict has forced many medical facilities to close. Doctors had only recently resumed operations in the Arakan Army-controlled area to provide essential services amidst the devastation.
The attack, reportedly carried out by a jet fighter at 9:13 pm, dropped two bombs on the general hospital. One bomb directly impacted the recovery ward, while the second landed near the main building, causing widespread destruction. Local media reports and images depict scenes of chaos, with rubble, damaged vehicles, and destroyed medical equipment. The loss of this facility creates a critical void in medical access for the local population.
Mrauk-U is situated in a region largely under the control of the Arakan Army (AA), a key ethnic Rakhine armed group advocating for greater autonomy. The AA has made significant gains in Rakhine state, capturing numerous townships. The intensified conflict adds to the long-standing humanitarian crisis in the region, which was already grappling with the aftermath of the 2017 violence that displaced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims.
This incident occurs amid a broader escalation of violence across Myanmar, with the military junta employing intensified airstrikes against various opposition forces ahead of controversial upcoming elections. International bodies and the shadow government have condemned the attack, calling for an end to atrocities and increased pressure on the ruling junta.