More than 210 people were killed and 60 wounded in air strikes targeting the civilian population in six Myanmar regions and states that have become resistance strongholds from March 20 to April 18.
The Irrawaddy recorded at least 28 junta air strikes in Sagaing and Bago regions and Chin, Kayah, Kachin and Karen states, mostly in civilian areas. Each air strike consisted of multiple shootings and bombings.
Sagaing Region in northwest Myanmar suffered the most casualties. In one attack junta aircraft dropped two bombs on Pazi Gyi Village on April 11, killing 175 people including children, according to people on the ground.
The air strike on Pazi Gyi is the deadliest one conducted so far by the junta on civilian targets since the military coup. Last October, a junta air strike on a concert in Hpakant Township of Kachin State killed more than 80 civilians.
At least six air strikes from March 30 to April 18 in Chin State in western Myanmar claimed the lives of 21 civilians and wounded another 21 when the regime launched retaliatory attacks.
Southeastern Myanmar’s Kayah State, where junta ground troops have suffered heavy casualties, has been hit by regular air strikes and shelling.
Among these air raids, at least five hit civilian targets in eastern Demoso and Balakhe, as well as the townships of Pekon and Pinlaung in neighboring southern Shan State.
At least five civilians including medical workers were killed and six were injured by the aerial bombings in Kayah State.
One civilian in Karen State also perished in the air strikes conducted by the junta in March.
A report issued by the United Nations Human Rights Office in March said the number of junta air raids between February 2022 and January 2023 more than doubled from a year earlier, from 125 to 300.
