Myanmar’s shadow government, the National Unity Government (NUG), reported that a military airstrike by the ruling junta killed at least 17 students and injured 20 others at a school in an opposition-controlled area on Monday. The attack occurred despite a ceasefire being in place following a recent devastating earthquake.
The school, operated by the NUG, is located in the town of Depayin in the Sagaing region of central Myanmar, approximately 160 km (100 miles) north of Mandalay and near the epicenter of the March 28 earthquake.
Read more: Myanmar Ceasefire Extended for Relief
“According to the information we have so far, 17 students have been killed and 20 injured,” said NUG spokesperson Nay Phone Latt.
“Some may have been missing due to bomb damage, so the death toll could be higher,” he added.
Myanmar has been embroiled in conflict since the military’s coup in 2021, which triggered widespread protests and a subsequent armed resistance. The junta has struggled to maintain control and has lost territory to ethnic minority armies and the NUG-affiliated resistance movement.
A spokesperson for the junta declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.
Last week, the junta announced an extension of its post-earthquake ceasefire until May 31. The initial ceasefire was declared in early April, shortly after the earthquake, to facilitate relief efforts, mirroring similar declarations by anti-junta armed groups.
However, military airstrikes and artillery attacks have reportedly continued in some areas of Myanmar despite the ceasefire announcement.
The NUG comprises remnants of the elected government ousted in the 2021 coup, as well as other anti-junta organizations.
