The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed deep concern following a series of military airstrikes in Myanmar that have left several children dead and many more injured.
The condemnation follows two separate incidents of aerial bombardment by the Myanmar military. On 24 February, a strike hit a busy community market and residential area in Rakhine State’s Ponnagyun Township, which was serving as a sanctuary for internally displaced persons (IDPs). This followed an attack on 23 February in Sagaing Region’s Myinmu Township, which also resulted in significant civilian casualties.
“Children must be protected at all times and in all places,” UNICEF said in its official statement.
According to UNICEF, at least five children were killed and three others injured across the incidents in Ponnagyun and Myinmu. Local reports from Ponnagyun indicate that 18 people died in the Yo Ngū village strike on 24 February, while the bombing of Shwe Kyaung Kan village in Myinmu on 23 February claimed 10 lives.
The agency warned that the escalating conflict is not only forcing children to flee their homes but is also systematically disrupting access to essential services, including healthcare, education, and basic safety. UNICEF emphasized that it continues to provide aid to conflict-affected families across the country.
However, some observers have called for more than just diplomatic statements. “While we acknowledge the concerns of international organizations, effective aid is more critical than concern alone,” a Yangon-based political analyst told the Myanmar Pressphoto Agency (MPA). “It is vital that UNICEF’s assistance actually reaches the children suffering in these war zones”.
UNICEF has renewed its call for all parties involved in the conflict to strictly adhere to international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of the most vulnerable.
The recent surge in air attacks underscores the growing reliance on heavy weaponry by the Myanmar military as it faces significant territorial challenges on the ground, often resulting in devastating consequences for civilian populations.
