Death toll rises to 18 after junta airstrike on Ponnagyun village market

By Admin 25 Feb 2026

DMG Newsroom

25 February 2026, Ponnagyun

The death toll from the military junta’s airstrike on Yoengu Village, part of Arakan State’s Ponnagyun Township, has risen to 18 after a wounded civilian died while receiving emergency medical treatment.

The junta airstrike targeted the vicinity of the village market on February 24, killing 17 civilians, including women and children, and injuring 14 others. The latest fatality, an elderly woman, died on February 25 from injuries sustained in the attack.

“Targeting innocent civilians with such brutal bombing is utterly despicable,” a local resident said. “Whenever they suffer military setbacks, they resort to aerial attacks on civilians. Many innocent lives have been lost. Hearing about yesterday’s incident is deeply heartbreaking.”

At least 13 houses were reportedly destroyed in the bombing of Yoengu Village.

In response, the United League of Arakan (ULA) Humanitarian and Development Coordination Office (HDCO) on February 25 issued a statement strongly condemning the killing of civilians.

The HDCO said bombing villages with no military presence constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity. It also expressed condolences to the families of the victims.

“The military junta is constantly violating human rights. This is not only happening in Arakan State; they are deliberately targeting civilians across the country. To prevent further loss of innocent lives, the international community must take decisive action,” another local resident said.

Human rights advocates say the regime, facing continued battlefield losses in Arakan State, has intensified airstrikes on schools, hospitals, markets, monasteries and residential areas in territories controlled by the Arakan Army (AA), describing the attacks as war crimes and serious human rights violations.

In December, an airstrike on Mrauk-U Hospital killed 33 civilians and injured at least 78 others.