33 Killed as Myanmar Military Launches Air Strike on Hospital

Darwin, 12 December: At least 33 people have been killed and around 70 others wounded after an air strike by Myanmar’s military government hit a major hospital in western Myanmar, according to rebel forces, aid workers and witnesses.

The bombardment struck the Mrauk-U General Hospital in Mrauk-U Township, located in Rakhine State, late on Wednesday night. The attack was reportedly carried out by bombs dropped from a military aircraft, said Khine Thu Kha, spokesperson for the Arakan Army, an ethnic armed group fighting the ruling junta.

Hospital Devastated, Patients Among the Casualties

Aid worker Wai Hun Aung described the hospital as overflowing with patients at the time of the strike, as many healthcare services across the conflict-torn region have been suspended due to fighting. Photographs shared by aid workers show the facility in ruins, with collapsed roofs and shattered walls, though independent verification of these images was not possible.

Local residents who rushed to the scene reported seeing bodies and seriously injured people amid the rubble. The hospital’s inpatient wards and operating rooms were completely destroyed, significantly crippling medical care in the area.

Conflict Intensifies Ahead of National Elections

Myanmar has been engulfed in civil war since the military seized power in a 2021 coup, unseating the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The junta has launched frequent air strikes against territories held by resistance groups, including the Arakan Army.

The hospital strike comes weeks before a controversial election scheduled for 28 December, which the military regime says will help restore stability. Rebel forces, however, have pledged to oppose the vote in areas under their control.

International Reaction

The destruction of a medical facility has drawn international concern. Hospital attacks are widely considered violations of international humanitarian law, which protects medical infrastructure and non-combatants in conflict zones. Human rights groups and foreign governments have described the incident as deeply troubling and called for restraint and accountability, though formal comments from the junta were not immediately available.