Death Toll From Myanmar Airstrike on Rakhine Market Reaches 50

The death toll from a Myanmar military airstrike near a market in western Rakhine State has risen to 50, Reuters reported, while the Arakan Army put the toll at 49 and said nearly 60 people were injured.

The attack occurred around noon Monday in Kyauktaw, an area controlled by the Arakan Army. The group said a fighter jet dropped two bombs near the local market, striking vendors, shoppers and pedestrians. Earlier reports from rescue and rebel officials said at least 33 people had been killed and 36 wounded, with warnings that the toll could rise.

Images posted on social media showed burning buildings, damaged vehicles and damage to part of a nearby bridge. Wai Hun Aung, a senior rescue official in Rakhine, told The Associated Press that the market was the region’s main wholesale center and drew people from across the state.

Myanmar’s military did not immediately comment on the attack. It has previously said its airstrikes target legitimate military sites and has described resistance groups as terrorists.

The Arakan Army has captured 14 of Rakhine State’s 17 townships since launching an offensive in November 2023. Nearly half a million people have been displaced in Rakhine amid fighting between the military and rebel groups, according to United Nations data.