At least 33 people were killed and 36 others injured when a Myanmar military aircraft struck a market in Kyauktaw in western Rakhine state on Monday, according to local rescue officials .

The strike hit the market and a nearby bridge around noon, killing vendors, shoppers and people passing through the area. The Arakan Army said the death toll could rise as rescue teams continue to search the site.

According to Al Jazeera, the market was a major wholesale centre that attracted traders and shoppers from different parts of Rakhine. Images from the scene showed thick smoke, burning buildings, damaged vehicles and debris scattered around the area.

The Myanmar military has not commented on the latest strike. It has previously said its air operations target military positions and accused resistance groups of terrorism.

The attack comes as fighting between the military and the Arakan Army continues across Rakhine. The armed group has captured large parts of the state since launching a major offensive in late 2023.

The conflict has also disrupted trade and food supplies in the region. Nearly 500,000 people have been displaced in Rakhine, according to UN figures.

Myanmar has remained embroiled in a wider armed conflict since the military ousted the elected government in a 2021 coup, with ethnic armed groups and pro-democracy forces fighting the military across several parts of the country.

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