A deadly airstrike by Myanmar’s military junta struck a school in Sagaing region on Monday, killing 22 people—20 of them children—despite a declared ceasefire aimed at aiding recovery from the recent earthquake disaster.
The strike occurred around 10:00 am local time in the village of Oe Htein Kwin, about 100 kilometers northwest of the epicenter of the devastating March 28 earthquake.
Witnesses reported that a fighter jet bombed the school without warning, reducing the green-roofed building to rubble and leaving gaping holes in its brick walls.
According to a 34-year-old teacher who survived the attack, “We tried to spread out the children, but the fighter was too fast and dropped its bombs.”
She confirmed that 22 people, including two teachers, had died, though casualty numbers could rise as parents scrambled to recover the bodies of their children.
Photographs from the scene showed parents digging graves for their children while abandoned backpacks lay near a flagpole bearing Myanmar’s national flag.
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern over the strike. "Schools must remain areas in which children have a safe place to learn and not be bombed," said his spokesperson in New York.
In contrast, the junta denied targeting civilians, dismissing the reports as "fabricated news" and insisting no airstrikes were carried out on non-military targets.
Myanmar has remained in turmoil since the military ousted the civilian government in 2021, plunging the country into civil war.
Despite a ceasefire declared for May to aid post-earthquake rehabilitation, fighting and aerial bombardments have continued.
The earthquake, which struck with a magnitude of 7.7, killed nearly 3,800 people and displaced tens of thousands, with many still living outdoors as monsoon season approaches.
The United Nations reports that over 200 civilians have been killed in 243 attacks, including 171 airstrikes, since the quake.
The military`s ceasefire announcement had included a caveat that it would respond with “defensive measures” if threatened.
While some anti-junta forces and ethnic armed groups have agreed to temporary truces, fighting has continued in several regions.
Civilians in eastern Myanmar report being displaced amid attacks on military-held towns near the Thai border.
The massive quake caused the ground to shear by up to six meters (20 feet), flattening homes and infrastructure.
Humanitarian efforts remain severely underfunded, with concerns growing that time is running out for displaced families before the rainy season begins.
“The needs are immense,” said Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. “My worry is that time is not on our side.”
