Myanmar: Army helicopters target school, killing 13 people including 7 children

The military led government helicopters inMyanmarreportedly attacked a school and a nearby village, killing 13 people, including 7 children, a school administrator told the media. Since the army took over the countryin February last year, it has triggered nationwide mass non-violent protests. The incident took place on Friday last week in Depeyin township in Sagaing.

According to media reports, the military believed that the building was being used by rebels. On Friday, the army also attacked the village of Let Yet Kone in Tabayin, also known as Depayin in the Central Sagaing region. The soldiers alsoopened fire on the school housed inside a Buddhist monastery in the village. Some children were killed on the spot while some were killed after the troops entered the village, the reports indicated.

Civilian casualties are not uncommon after the military government took overlast year as they move to quash any pro-democracy insurgents and their allies. However, the number of children killed on Friday marks a grim record of being the highest since the takeover and ousting of the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Reportedly, over 2,000 civilians have been killed since the military came into power.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

ALSO READ:Myanmar coup: Aung San Suu Kyi charged with breaking 'import/export law'

Notably, the Sagaing region, the country’s northwest region has been fighting back and has seen some of the fiercest clashes between the anti-coup fighters and the military. Reportedly, entire villages have been burned down in the region. Meanwhile, United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) also moved to condemn the attack saying that at least 11 children were killed during the air strike.

In a statement issued by UNICEF yesterday, it said, “On 16 September, at least 11 children died in an air strike and indiscriminate fire in civilian areas.” The children’s agency also said that schools must be safe and never be a target of such attacks, indicating that at least 15 children from the same school are missing andcalledfor their immediate release.

In an interview with Associated Press, a volunteer who worked at the school with 20 others said, “Since the students had done nothing wrong, I never thought that they would be brutally shot by machine guns.” The volunteer who uses the pseudonym Mar Mar indicated that they teach 240 students from kindergarten to eighth grade and has been hiding in the village with her three children.

Mar Mar shared the details of the attack and said by the time she and her students were able to take shelter, one teacher and a 7-year-old were shot in the neck and head by the army personnel. “They kept shooting into the compound from the air for an hour…They didn’t stop even for one minute. All we could do at that time was chant Buddhist mantras,” she reportedly said during the interview.

At least 80 soldiers entered the monastery compound and started firing at the buildings after which theyordered everyoneto step out, said Mar Mar. This is when she saw at least 30 students, who got injured during the attack with wounds on different parts of their bodies while some students had also lost their limbs, AP reported. According to the report, more than 20 people were taken by the military.

ALSO READ:Myanmar soldiers tortured civilians: Report

On the other hand, the military has accused the rebels of using civilians as human shields and reportedly said that they also found mines and explosives in the village. Save the Children Asia’s regional director, Hassan Noor expressed condolences and added that schools should be off limits. “How many more incidents like this need to take place before action is taken?” said Noor urging the UN Security Council to swift action in the region.

Myanmar’s military junta took over the country following a coup on February 1, 2021, since then the country has been reportedly subjected to mass killings, torture, arrests and attacks on civilians. However,the UNSC and Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s diplomatic efforts have been futile in resolving the country’s crisis.

(With inputs from agencies)