19 April 2026 By Nway
MRAUK-U, Myanmar — A Buddhist monastery in northern Rakhine State has been burnt to the ground following a targeted airstrike by the Myanmar military, as the ruling junta ramps up its aerial offensive against ethnic minority regions.
At approximately 10:00 AM on Sunday, military fighter jets dropped two bombs on Kyauksepyin village in Mrauk-U Township. The strikes directly hit the village monastery, triggering a massive fire that destroyed nearly the entire complex. A 23-year-old resident, Ko Htay Win, sustained shrapnel wounds to his right hand during the attack.
“The jet circled for a long time before we heard the massive explosions,” a local source told MPA. “Even after dropping the bombs, it didn’t leave immediately. It continued to hover over the village, which is home to the Mro ethnic minority. The monastery was almost completely engulfed in flames.”
The attack in Mrauk-U was part of a broader wave of aerial bombardments across the region. In the neighbouring Ponnagyun Township, three fighter jets reportedly dropped six bombs, targeting the former base of Light Infantry Battalion 540 and a nearby electrical power substation.
Local witnesses noted that the substation sustained significant fire damage, threatening an already fragile power supply in the conflict-torn area. “They are systematically bombing former military outposts and public infrastructure,” a source added. “While the extent of casualties in Ponnagyun is still being verified, the destruction of civilian infrastructure is clear.”
The military’s air campaign extended further north into Kyauktaw Township on Sunday morning, where jets reportedly bombed Daung Daung Yo village. No official casualty figures have been released from that strike as of Sunday afternoon.
The intensified airstrikes come as the military junta struggles to maintain control in Rakhine State, where the Arakan Army (AA) has made significant territorial gains since late 2023. Human rights organisations have repeatedly condemned the use of indiscriminate aerial bombardment in residential areas, categorising the destruction of religious and civilian sites as potential war crimes.
As the smoke clears over Mrauk-U, the local Mro community is left to reckon with the loss of their primary religious and communal hub. For the people of Rakhine, the sound of approaching jet engines has become a constant reminder of the military’s willingness to target civilian life in its bid to stall the resistance’s advance.
