30 killed as Myanmar military attacks rebel group event

At least 30 people were killed in a central area of Myanmar on Tuesday, after the army launched an attack on an event being held by opponents of military rule, media outlets reported.

Citing residents in the Sagaing area, BBC Burmese, Radio Free Asia (RFA), and the Irrawaddy news portal reported up to 50 people, including civilians, had died in the attack.

Reuters could not immediately verify the reports and a spokesperson for the ruling military did not answer a phone call seeking comment.

A member of the People's Defence Force (PDF), an armed group opposed to the junta, told Reuters fighter jets had fired on a ceremony held to open their local office.

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"So far, the exact number of casualties is still unknown. We cannot retrieve the bodies yet," said the PDF member, who declined to be identified.

Myanmar's military, which ousted an elected government in 2021, has drawn global condemnation for its lethal attacks on pro-democracy opponents and civilians.

Last month, at least eight civilians including children were killed in an air strike on a village in northwest Myanmar, according to a human rights group, ethnic minority rebels and media.

At least seven people were also killed in January, when the military bombed a village in the same region, and children were killed when a military helicopter opened fire on a school in Sagaing last September.

The military has denied international allegations it has committed atrocities against civilians and says it is fighting "terrorists" determined to destabilise the country.

Western countries have rolled out sanctions against the junta in a bid to choke off its revenue and access to military equipment from key allies and suppliers like

Russia.

Reuters