London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Oct 20, 2025

Myanmar military airstrike on village gathering kills at least 100

Myanmar military airstrike on village gathering kills at least 100

At least 100 people have been killed in a Myanmar military airstrike, leaving relatives to recover the charred bodies of victims on Wednesday following one of the deadliest attacks since the junta seized power two years ago.
The military air attack struck Kanbalu township in the central Sagaing region early on Tuesday, where hundreds, mostly civilians, had gathered to celebrate the opening of a local administration office under the authority of the shadow National Unity Government.

Like much of Sagaing, Pa Zi Gyi village and surrounding areas are not under the control of the junta, which confirmed the attack late on Tuesday and accused NUG’s armed wing, the People’s Defense Forces, of coercing residents into supporting them.

“I lost my youngest brother, brother-in-law, aunty, uncle, niece and nephew in the airstrike,” Myo, a resident of Pa Zi Gyi, told Arab News on Wednesday.

“It’s proof that the junta is a ruthless organization led by the dictator and they acted like a mad dog,” he said. “I will fight against that cruel regime regardless of my life and soul.”

Infants and the elderly were among those killed in the strike, villagers told Arab News.

“People in the area have never fought against the military, but still I have no idea why the junta launched an attack on the area and killed the people,” Zaw, another resident, said.

Zaw said that his uncle and cousins were killed in the airstrike.

“I am in despair, but I don’t cry,” he said. “Because our village is severely harmed by that brutal attack by the military, I want the People’s Defense Force to continue protecting our village.”

Arab News has used aliases for Myo and Zaw to protect their identity.

The initial death toll from Tuesday’s attacks stood at 53, but was later raised to about 100 by independent media and voluntary rescuers at the scene.

Images shared online, which appeared to have been taken after the attack, showed people in civilian clothes dead on the ground beside a destroyed structure.

The airstrike has sparked widespread condemnation, as human rights organizations called for more concrete action from the international community.

Human Rights Watch said the latest airstrike should lead to an international arms embargo against the Myanmar junta.

“This is part of a larger pattern that we are seeing across Myanmar, where the security forces are targeting civilians in a systematic way. These are the sorts of crimes against humanity that we have been speaking about,” Phil Roberston, Human Rights Watch Asia division deputy director, said in a video statement.

Myanmar’s military has carried out a string of deadly airstrikes, including one targeting a concert in Kachin state in October that killed at least 60 people.

“It’s quite clear that the civil war in Myanmar is intensifying. There’s no doubt about that. We are entering a situation where neither side is conceding anything, that there are attacks happening every day all across the country. And I expect it will intensify further.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
U.S. Revokes Visas of Foreign Nationals Who ‘Celebrated’ Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
DJI Loses Appeal to Remove Pentagon’s ‘Chinese Military Company’ Label
EU Deploys New Biometric Entry/Exit System: What Non-EU Travelers Must Know
Australian Prime Minister’s Private Number Exposed Through AI Contact Scraper
Ex-Microsoft Engineer Confirms Famous Windows XP Key Was Leaked Corporate License, Not a Hack
×