At least 24 people have been killed and 47 others injured after a motorised paraglider dropped two bombs on a crowd gathered for a Buddhist festival and anti-junta protest in Chaung-U township, central Myanmar, officials from the government-in-exile told BBC Burmese.
The deadly attack occurred on Monday evening as around 100 people assembled for a national holiday in the Sagaing region—a hotspot of resistance against Myanmar’s ruling military junta.
Witnesses said the bombs were released from a paramotor aircraft, striking the peaceful demonstrators without warning. The crowd had gathered to protest the junta’s military conscription policy and to call for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s imprisoned, democratically elected leader.
“It all happened in seven minutes,” said a local member of the People’s Defence Force (PDF), who sustained leg injuries in the blast. “We had tried to end the protest early after hearing about a possible airborne attack, but the paramotors arrived sooner than expected.”
The explosions caused devastating casualties. Witnesses described horrific scenes in the aftermath, with one organiser telling AFP that “children were completely torn apart.” She added that volunteers were still “collecting body parts” the following day as funerals were held for the victims.
Airborne Assault Marks Escalation in Junta’s Tactics
The Sagaing region has been a key battleground since the military seized power in a 2021 coup, sparking a civil war with ethnic militias and pro-democracy resistance forces.
The People’s Defence Forces, operating in areas beyond junta control, have established local administrations across much of the region.
According to Amnesty International, the use of motorised paragliders in Monday’s strike reflects a “disturbing trend” in the junta’s increasingly brutal campaign.
The human rights group noted that Myanmar’s military, constrained by international sanctions and a shortage of aircraft, has turned to paramotors to deliver airstrikes against civilian targets.
“Monday’s attack should serve as a gruesome wake-up call that civilians in Myanmar need urgent protection,” said Joe Freeman, Amnesty International’s Myanmar researcher.
He urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to “intensify pressure on the junta and rethink its failed approach” ahead of its upcoming summit.
Conflict Deepens Ahead of Controversial Elections
Since the 2021 coup, thousands have been killed and millions displaced, as the junta battles a nationwide uprising.
Analysts say the military is regaining lost ground through a campaign of indiscriminate airstrikes and artillery bombardments, often targeting civilian gatherings.
Myanmar’s military regime has announced plans to hold general elections in December—the first since the coup—but critics argue the poll will be neither free nor fair, serving only to entrench the junta’s grip on power.
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