A paramotor bombing at a peaceful protest in Myanmar’s Sagaing region killed at least 24 people and injured 47 others.
Amnesty International condemned the attack as part of a “disturbing trend” amid the junta’s use of improvised air assaults.
At least 24 people were killed and 47 others injured after a motorised paraglider dropped two bombs on a crowd protesting against Myanmar’s military government, a spokesperson for the government-in-exile told BBC Burmese.
The attack occurred on Monday evening when around 100 people had gathered in Chaung U township in central Myanmar to mark a national holiday.
Thousands have been killed and millions displaced since 2021, when the army seized power, sparking a civil war with armed resistance groups and ethnic militias. After losing control of over half the country, the military is now regaining territory through a campaign of airstrikes and heavy bombardments.
The Chaung U township, located in the Sagaing region, has been one of the main battlegrounds in the conflict. Large parts of the area are controlled by volunteer militias known as the People’s Defence Force (PDF), which were formed after the coup to resist the junta and also manage local administration.
A local PDF official told BBC Burmese that they had received information about a possible airborne attack during October 6 gathering. They attempted to disperse the protest quickly, but “the paramotors reached the scene earlier than expected,” he said.
“It all happened in seven minutes,” he told BBC, noting that he was injured in the leg while people nearby were killed.
Locals described the aftermath as horrific. “Children were completely torn apart,” said a woman who helped organise the event, speaking to AFP. She said she attended funerals on Tuesday and that they were still “collecting body parts.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Amnesty International condemned the use of motorised paragliders in attacks on civilians, calling it part of a “disturbing trend.”
Monday’s candlelight vigil had been organised as a peaceful protest against the junta’s military conscription and the upcoming national election. Demonstrators also called for the release of political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratically elected leader deposed and jailed after the 2021 coup.
Myanmar is set to hold general elections in December — the first since the coup.
