By Kan Htun / MPA
More than 100 Myanmar military personnel held as prisoners of war (POWs) have been killed following an airstrike by their own air force in Rakhine State’s Ann Township, according to ground reports and newly verified photographic evidence.
The incident, which occurred on 8 March, targeted a detention facility managed by the Arakan Army (AA). Ground images obtained on 17 March confirm the extensive destruction of the facility’s security buildings and prison wards.
According to local reports, 116 prisoners of war—including high-ranking officers—were killed instantly when the junta’s aircraft dropped bombs on the compound. A further 32 individuals were reported to be seriously injured.
Myanmar Junta Airstrike Kills Over 100 of Its Own Captured Troops in Rakhine State
The strike also claimed the lives of several civilian detainees held at the site. Observers and rights monitors have described the event as a “tragic war crime,” noting that the military effectively executed its own personnel who were in enemy custody.
Witnesses stated that the attack continued even as AA personnel attempted to rescue survivors from the rubble. A Y-12 transport aircraft, often repurposed by the junta for bombing missions, reportedly conducted follow-up strikes, wounding approximately 10 prison staff engaged in rescue efforts.
Details of the carnage and the supporting visual evidence have only emerged a week after the event due to severe communication disruptions and the volatile security situation in the region.
The Myanmar military has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident in Ann Township, which has seen some of the heaviest fighting in recent months as the Arakan Army continues its offensive against junta strongholds in the state.
