Amnesty Urges War Crime Probe on Myanmar Junta's Airstrike 345

The Amnesty report emphasizes that the aircraft dropped several large bombs indiscriminately on a residential area, targeting civilians as they gathered for church.

Staff Reporter

Feb 13, 2024, 01:39 PM2 min read

Amnesty Urges War Crime Probe on Myanmar Junta's Airstrike 345

Photo source : Irrawaddy

An Amnesty International report has urged the United Nations Security Council to investigate the Myanmar junta's January airstrike on Kanan village near the Indian border as a war crime. The January 7 attack targeted St Peter’s Baptist Church, resulting in the death of 17 civilians, including nine children, and injuring over 20 people. The largely Christian village of Kanan, with around 7,000 residents, is situated north of Khampat in Tamu Township. Khampat has been under the control of the civilian National Unity Government since November.

The military junta has denied responsibility for the airstrike, claiming no planes were flying in the area that morning. However, Amnesty International's report presents evidence, including a video showing a Chinese-made A-5 fighter jet above the village. The Tada-U air base near Mandalay, frequently used for launching airstrikes on Sagaing Region, has A-5s, as per satellite imagery. Witnesses suggested that a People’s Defense Force ceremony was underway in the village school on the day of the attack.

The Amnesty report emphasizes that the aircraft dropped several large bombs indiscriminately on a residential area, targeting civilians as they gathered for church. These actions, according to the human rights organization, constitute war crimes and warrant a thorough investigation. By December, the junta had conducted 1,652 airstrikes, resulting in the death of around 936 civilians and injuring 878 people. The airstrikes destroyed 1,137 religious buildings, 76 schools, and 28 hospitals.

The rights group called for a ban on jet fuel supplies to the Myanmar military junta, emphasizing that the military is still importing fuel despite international sanctions. Matt Wells of Amnesty’s Crisis Response Programme stressed that these attacks must be investigated as war crimes, urging the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court. The report underscores the urgent need for accountability for the atrocities committed by the military junta in Myanmar.

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