Deadly Airstrike Near Myanmar Market Leaves 33 Dead, 36 Injured

At least 33 people have been killed and 36 others injured in an airstrike near a market in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state, according to the Arakan Army and a local aid worker.

The attack took place on Monday in Kyauktaw, a town controlled by the Arakan Army, one of the most powerful ethnic armed groups fighting Myanmar’s military. The group said a fighter jet dropped two bombs near a market and an adjacent bridge around midday.

The Arakan Army said the death toll could rise further as rescue operations continue. Wai Hun Aung, a local aid worker whose team operates in the area, independently confirmed the reported number of casualties to the Associated Press and Reuters.

Wai Hun Aung said the area was far from active fighting and that the market had no direct connection to the conflict. The market serves as a major wholesale centre, attracting traders and shoppers from different parts of Rakhine state.

Images and videos from the scene showed smoke rising from the market area, with buildings and vehicles damaged and fires burning after the attack. AFP also reported that a witness saw more than 30 bodies at the scene, while rescue workers recovered victims from the wreckage.

The reported attack has drawn attention because Kyauktaw is located in northern Rakhine, where the Arakan Army has established control over much of the surrounding territory. The group has been engaged in sustained fighting with Myanmar’s military as part of the country’s wider civil war.

Myanmar has been engulfed in conflict since the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. The coup triggered widespread resistance, with ethnic armed organisations and pro-democracy forces fighting the military across several regions.

The military has previously maintained that its forces exercise restraint to avoid civilian casualties. A government spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment specifically about Monday’s strike, according to Reuters.

The attack is being described by local sources as one of the deadliest airstrikes in Rakhine in recent months. Reuters and AFP noted that it follows an aerial attack on a hospital in western Rakhine in December 2025 that reportedly killed at least 30 people.

The violence has added to an already severe humanitarian situation in Rakhine. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by the conflict, while access to food, healthcare and other essential services has been severely affected.

With rescue operations still underway, authorities and local responders have warned that the casualty figures from Monday’s strike may increase.