Twenty-two young students and two teachers were killed and over 40 others injured when a junta fighter jet bombed a school run by the parallel National Unity Government in O Htein Twin village, Depayin Township, Sagaing Region on Monday morning. Rescuers warn the death toll could increase, as bodies were torn apart by the blast.
Daw Yati Ohn, a former lecturer at the Technical Training School in Sagaing Region’s
Kale town who joined the Civil Disobedience Movement, rushed to help victims after the air attack. Speaking to The Irrawaddy, she described what she witnessed at the site of the massacre, and the dangers facing schoolchildren in conflict zones.
Where were you when the school was bombed?
I was in Monywa [a two-hour drive from Depayin] when reports of the bombing emerged and pleas for help began flooding in. Although not locals, we rushed to the site, thinking we could at least help with funerals.
What did you see?
By the time we arrived, the bodies and injured victims had already been evacuated. The injured had been taken to various places for medical treatment, and preparations for funerals were already underway.
We saw severed fingers, locks of hair and bloodstains on desks and chairs [at the school]. Desks were outside, and there were also blood-soaked school bags, broken flip-flops, pencil cases, and school uniforms.
How powerful was the bomb blast?
Around the school compound, we saw many holes in the ground caused by the blast. After previous air attacks, I had witnessed craters waist-deep and five feet wide. But this time was different – I saw many holes measuring around three inches wide around the school and nearby monastery. I could not determine the type of weapon used.
How severe are the casualties?
Twenty-two people are confirmed dead [two more have died since the interview]. Many of the injured remain in critical condition, and some victims’ remains have not yet been found due to the force of the explosion. The confirmed death toll is based on bodies that can be identified.
One household lost three children in the attack. In another, the older child died while the younger sibling was severely injured. The parents are suffering immense grief – mourning one child while struggling to save another. People who have humanity can understand their suffering. The attack targeted a school and almost all the victims were children. The two others killed were female teachers still in their early twenties. Seeing so many children among the victims deeply affected me.
We could only give emotional support to grieving parents, but ultimately, all we could do was sit in silence and share their pain. At times, we simply cried with them.
How did survivors describe the attack?
The surviving children recalled their teachers shouting at them to run as the school was plunged into darkness. In their panic, they ran without knowing what was happening. After the noise of the aircraft ceased, they returned to find their friends slumped over desks, lifeless. Bodies were trapped between desks, which had to be moved outside to clear space.
An injured schoolgirl said one of the deceased teachers had just finished her class but returned to distribute worksheets. As she left the class and walked into the corridor, she noticed the aircraft approaching. She shouted for the students to run, but she was struck just moments later. Her lower body was completely gone.
I found one injured teacher completely covered in blood. When I asked where she was injured, she said only her hands – the blood came from the children she tried to rescue. She had been hit by shrapnel. Fragments were found even in distant palm trees, so the blast was intense.
How are the survivors and parents coping with the trauma?
They recount what happened with hollow eyes and bodies that seem exhausted. I believe the incident has left them with deep emotional scars.
I was told that one mother ran to the school upon hearing about the bombing. As soon as she stepped into the compound, she saw the upper body of her daughter’s remains. She couldn’t cry and instead just ran round and round the school. Mothers burst into tears when the bodies were buried.
The regime has denied responsibility for the attack. What is your response?
They are trying to hide the truth. They knew they were attacking a school. The aircraft first flew overhead, and since the students had seen such flyovers before, they didn’t hide. But when the aircraft turned back, the teachers told them to run. The attack was deliberate.
The regime and its supporters argue that the attack targeted ‘terrorist-linked groups.’ What would you say to that?
They will always find excuses. After the bombing, resistance fighters rushed to help – there was no time to worry about uniforms. When lives were on the line, all they cared about was saving those children. At times like this, who else is supposed to help? The local villagers were too overwhelmed to do anything, especially parents. Some children had ended up some distance from the school after running away in terror. Parents were disoriented, desperately searching for their kids. If the resistance fighters hadn’t acted, who would have? They were the only people there who could work in teams and follow instructions.
Even retrieving the bodies was difficult. First, desks had to be moved. Parents could not stand to see the bloodied body parts. Resistance members had to move the desks and trapped bodies out of the classrooms. They knew their own blood types, so they donated blood – which is why they were seen together with victims in photos. The regime and its supporters have cited this as evidence of ties between locals and the resistance. But if they hadn’t stepped in, the casualties would have been far higher.
How challenging has it become for Myanmar’s children to access education today?
It is life-threatening. The National Unity Government (NUG)’s Ministry of Education has suspended teaching activities for safety reasons following the bombing.
Right now, we are assessing whether to close schools completely or seek secure alternatives. Protecting lives is our priority, but education is also critical for survival. Education is not just about what is taught in textbooks. We need to provide children with real-life skills and vocational skills so that they can stand on their own feet.
Do you have a message for the regime as it continues its air attacks across the country?
The regime has received substantial donations for victims of the Sagaing Earthquake. I suspect it is using these funds to purchase weapons instead of aiding disaster victims. It is accustomed to committing inhumane crimes. So, we have to be extra cautious. But I want to tell the people that similar tragedies will likely continue until the military dictatorship is rooted out. We promise we will redouble our efforts to end military dictatorship.
