A deadly airstrike hit a school in Myanmar’s Sagaing region on Monday morning, killing 22 people, including 20 children and two teachers, despite a ceasefire declared by the military junta in the aftermath of the recent magnitude 7.7 earthquake. The incident has drawn international condemnation, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres calling the reports “deeply alarming.”
The strike occurred in the village of Oe Htein Kwin, approximately 100 km northwest of the earthquake’s epicentre, at around 10:00 am (0330 GMT), according to local witnesses.
The school’s green building lay in ruins, its metal roof twisted and brick walls shattered. Scattered around the site were more than a dozen school bags and a flag still fluttering outside.
Heartbroken parents could be seen digging small graves in the hard earth to bury their children. A 34-year-old teacher, requesting anonymity, confirmed the death toll at 22 and recounted the horror:
“We tried to spread out the children, but the fighter was too fast and dropped its bombs. I haven’t been able to collect all the casualty data as parents are in a rush.”
Local education officials confirmed the toll, though Myanmar’s military junta denied the strike, labelling reports as “fabricated news.”
“There was no airstrike on non-military targets,” the junta claimed.
UN spokespersons in New York said Guterres was “deeply alarmed,” and emphasized: “Schools must remain areas in which children have a safe place to learn and not be bombed.”
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies warned that the humanitarian crisis is escalating.
“The needs are immense,” said Secretary General Jagan Chapagain to AFP. “My worry is that time is not on our side.”
Despite the military’s ceasefire promise for April, the UN and conflict monitors report that airstrikes and attacks continue, with over 200 civilian deaths and 243 assaults, including 171 aerial bombings, since the March 28 earthquake.
The junta had claimed it would maintain a ceasefire to focus on rebuilding efforts after the quake, which left nearly 3,800 people dead and tens of thousands displaced.
However, it warned it would take “necessary defensive measures” if provoked. Many anti-coup and ethnic armed groups had also pledged temporary halts in hostilities. Yet in eastern Myanmar, clashes have displaced more residents as rebel forces attempt to seize junta-held towns on key trade routes near Thailand.
The earthquake reportedly caused ground ruptures up to 6 metres (20 feet) wide, collapsing buildings, roads, and bridges, crippling infrastructure just as monsoon season approaches.
Relief efforts are further constrained due to funding shortfalls, partly attributed to past cuts in international aid by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Humanitarian agencies say the shortfall is hampering timely assistance to those in dire need.
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