Death toll rises to ten after junta airstrikes on Kyauktaw

By Admin 25 Jun 2026

DMG Newsroom

25 June 2026, Kyauktaw

The death toll from a devastating junta airstrike on Kyauktaw Town has risen to ten after another critically injured civilian died from severe blast injuries, rights monitors confirmed Thursday.

The latest victim was identified as U Hla Aung Kyaw, 65, from Ywama Ward in Kyauktaw. Local medical sources said he died on June 24 while receiving emergency treatment for multiple fractures and shrapnel injuries sustained during the June 17 airstrike.

“He was under intensive care due to severe trauma,” a local resident said. “The blast fractured both of his arms and caused serious internal injuries. He later died from the impact of his wounds.”

His death followed that of Daw Ma Aye Hla, 62, from Paikthae Ward, who died at a medical facility on June 19. Of the 18 civilians who suffered severe injuries in the initial attack, continued deaths have raised the confirmed civilian death toll to ten.

The attack took place at around 3 pm on June 17, when a formation of four junta fighter jets conducted an air raid over Kyauktaw Town and nearby Lanmadaw Village.

The aircraft dropped multiple unguided bombs on densely populated areas, including civilian markets and residential zones.

U Myat Tun, Director of the Arakan Human Rights Defenders and Promoters Association, condemned the attack as a deliberate assault on civilians and a violation of international humanitarian law.

“This is a serious violation of human rights and a breach of the Geneva Convention,” U Myat Tun said. “Our field teams are documenting these incidents and preparing verification reports to submit through official channels to the United Nations Human Rights mechanisms. We are compiling case files related to the June 17 Kyauktaw attack and recent fatal airstrikes in Gwa Township.”

Facing continued territorial losses in western Myanmar, the military junta has increasingly relied on air power, with repeated strikes targeting civilian areas and infrastructure.

The ongoing aerial campaign has damaged villages, urban areas, and religious sites across Arakan State, causing rising civilian casualties, including among women and children.

The air campaign continues across multiple areas. On June 24, a junta fighter jet struck the border town of Maungdaw, which is under Arakan Army (AA) administration, injuring two high school students and damaging civilian homes.