An airstrike by the Myanmar military on the village Pa Zi Gyi, which is in the north-western Sagaing region, has left over 100 people dead, according to reports from survivors. The attack targeted a village that was holding a ceremony celebrating the recent establishment of a local volunteer defence force. Myanmar’s military junta has increasingly used air strikes against opponents since it seized power in February 2021, primarily the People’s Defence Forces (PDFs). The PDFs have waged a campaign against the military all across Myanmar over the last few years, and communities in the Sagaing region, where the bombing took place, have put up some of the strongest opposition to military rule.
Between February 2021 and January 2023, Myanmar’s military conducted nearly 600 airstrikes, and according to the exiled National Unity Government, these attacks have killed 155 civilians. If the estimated death toll at Pa Zi Gyi is confirmed, the attack there will be one of the deadliest single instances of violence in the civil war thus far. Thousands have been killed over the course of the last few years, with an additional 1.4 million displaced, and nearly a third of the country’s population left in dire need of humanitarian aid.
The airstrike at Pa Zi Gyi marks an increase in aggression by Myanmar’s military, as they turn their attention towards more civilian targets in an effort to stamp out opposition at its roots. The military appears to believe that by attacking resisting towns in opposition areas, and suppressing the civilians there, support for the PDFs will weaken, and war will turn evermore in their favor. There is also a risk of this escalating to the point of international intervention; the conflicts in Myanmar have created a major humanitarian crisis, as refugees flee to neighboring countries, and the international community has repeatedly condemned the military juntas actions.
Link to article: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-65238250