At least 23 civilians, including four children, were killed in an overnight airstrike by Myanmar’s military on a monastery in the conflict-ridden Sagaing region, according to local sources.

The attack took place around 1:00 AM on Friday in Linn Ta Lu village, where over 150 displaced residents had taken refuge in the Buddhist monastery amid weeks of heavy fighting in the area.

Eyewitnesses said a military aircraft dropped a bomb directly on the compound where families were sleeping. Over 30 others were injured, at least 10 of them critically. The death toll is expected to rise, with the Democratic Voice of Burma reporting that the number of casualties could reach 30 as more bodies are recovered.

The Myanmar military has yet to issue a statement on the incident.

Sagaing has been a center of resistance to the military junta since the 2021 coup, frequently targeted in airstrikes and ground offensives. Civilian infrastructure, including schools and monasteries often used as shelters, has increasingly come under attack.

Human rights organizations have condemned the military’s escalating use of air power in civilian areas, warning of potential war crimes. The latest bombing is likely to intensify international scrutiny as Myanmar's humanitarian crisis worsens.

BOB Post