Bangkok, Dec 12: A military airstrike in Myanmar destroyed a hospital in Mrauk-U township, Rakhine state, killing 34 patients and staff and injuring around 80 others, local rescue workers and media report.The hospital, a vital healthcare facility in a region where most hospitals have closed due to ongoing conflict, is in an area controlled by the Arakan Army (AA), a well-armed ethnic Rakhine rebel group seeking autonomy. The hospital had recently reopened to provide critical medical services.
According to rescue official Wai Hun Aung, a jet dropped two bombs around 9:13 pm, one hitting the recovery ward and the other near the main building, causing extensive damage to the facility, medical equipment, and nearby vehicles. The military has not confirmed the strike.
The Arakan Army seized Mrauk-U in February last year and now controls much of Rakhine. The region has long been tense, including after the 2017 army crackdown that displaced around 740,000 Rohingya Muslims.
Myanmarās shadow National Unity Government (NUG) condemned the attack, urging the international community to act against the military and provide humanitarian aid. Since the army took power in 2021, conflicts have intensified, with the Peopleās Defence Force resisting military rule.
Critics say upcoming December 28 elections are unlikely to be free or fair and aim to consolidate army control.