Full Breakdown
Deadly Myanmar Military Airstrike Hits Market in Kyauktaw, Rakhine State
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Airstrike in Kyauktaw Town
On September 28, a Myanmar military fighter jet dropped two bombs near a bustling market in Kyauktaw township, a town in western Rakhine State that borders Bangladesh. The strike killed at least 33 people—including vendors, shoppers, and pedestrians—and wounded 36 others, according to the Arakan Army (AA) and local rescue official Wai Hun Aung. The market, described as the region’s main wholesale centre, was set ablaze, and nearby vehicles and a bridge sustained damage. The military did not immediately comment on the incident.
Background to the Conflict
Myanmar’s armed forces seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, prompting a nationwide resistance movement that has evolved into a protracted civil war. The Arakan Army, an ethnic-armed group seeking autonomy for Rakhine’s minority, launched an offensive in November 2023 and has since captured 14 of the state’s 17 townships, including key military headquarters. The military has imposed severe trade-route restrictions in Rakhine, exacerbating food shortages and displacing nearly half a million people, according to United Nations data.
Casualties and Damage
The Kyauktaw strike is among the deadliest recent air attacks in Rakhine. It follows a December 2025 airstrike on a hospital in Mrauk-U township that killed at least 34 people and wounded 80. Photographs and videos posted on social media show buildings engulfed in flames, damaged vehicles, and a partially destroyed bridge. The AA and aid workers emphasized that the market area was far from active front-line fighting.
Responses from Parties
- Arakan Army: Accused the military of targeting civilians and labeled the attack one of the most severe airstrikes in the region.
- Wai Hun Aung (senior rescue official): Confirmed the casualty figures and highlighted the market’s importance for traders across the state.
- Myanmar Military: Historically maintains that its operations target only legitimate military objectives and has labeled resistance groups as “terrorists.” No comment was offered on this specific strike.
- United Nations: In August, the UN warned that Myanmar’s human-rights situation had fallen to “a new low,” citing brutal abuses against the Rohingya minority and the broader humanitarian fallout of the conflict.
Humanitarian Impact
The airstrike adds to a conflict that the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) project estimates has already caused more than 100,000 deaths. Ongoing drone use by both the military and rebel groups intensifies civilian risk. Displacement, food insecurity, and limited access to medical care continue to afflict Rakhine’s population, with the latest strike underscoring the vulnerability of civilians in areas far from front-line engagements.
