Myanmar Military Bombs Buddhist Festival, Killing 32

Deadly Attack on Peaceful Festival Celebration

In a horrific escalation of violence in Myanmar, military forces conducted a deadly aerial attack on a Buddhist festival celebration in Sagaing Region on Monday evening, killing at least 32 people and injuring over 50 others. The attack targeted a peaceful candlelight vigil during the Thadingyut Festival, also known as the Lighting Festival, which marks the end of Buddhist Lent.

Paraglider Bombing Tactics

The military used motorized paragliders to drop bombs on the gathering in Chaung-U Township, with witnesses reporting multiple waves of attacks that began around 8pm local time. 'For as far as I know, 32 people have died, including five members of the non-violent movement and the resistance fighters protecting the area. The rest are civilians,' a local resident told The Irrawaddy.

The explosions were so powerful that victims' bodies were reportedly difficult to identify afterward. A woman who helped organize the event described children being 'completely torn apart' in the blasts, highlighting the brutality of the attack on what should have been a peaceful religious observance.

Political Context and Resistance

The vigil was organized as a peaceful protest against the military junta and upcoming national elections scheduled by the regime. Participants were also calling for the release of political prisoners, including former democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was deposed during the 2021 military coup.

Sagaing Region has been a major battleground since the coup, with large areas controlled by volunteer militias known as the People's Defence Force (PDF). A PDF member told the BBC that they had received warnings about potential air attacks and tried to end the gathering, but the paragliders arrived earlier than expected.

International Condemnation

Amnesty International has condemned the attack as part of a 'disturbing trend' of violence against civilians. The organization noted that the military increasingly relies on paramotors due to international sanctions limiting access to conventional military aircraft. 'The bombing of civilian targets is a known tactic of the military,' said Southeast Asia correspondent Mustafa Marghadi. 'The goal is to deter civilians from cooperating with resistance groups, and in this case there was hope to hit members of resistance groups, regardless of the presence of innocent civilians.'

The attack represents a significant escalation in the ongoing civil war that has claimed over 75,000 lives and displaced 3 million people since the 2021 coup, according to UN estimates.