At least 34 civilians, including women and children, have been killed in an explosion in a rebel-held village in eastern Myanmar, according to local resistance groups. The blast, which occurred on Tuesday in the village of Myaing in Kayah State, has been blamed on airstrikes by the Myanmar military. The UK government has called for an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting, describing the incident as a potential war crime.
The village, under the control of the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force, was struck by what witnesses described as a series of bombs, leveling several homes and leaving a crater in the centre of the settlement. Rescue workers were still recovering bodies on Wednesday. The military junta has denied responsibility, claiming the explosion was caused by a landmine planted by insurgents. However, independent satellite imagery analysed by the Conflict Armament Research group suggests the crater is consistent with an aerial bomb, not a ground detonation.
Britain’s Foreign Secretary James Cleverly condemned the attack in a statement: “The deliberate targeting of civilian areas is an abhorrent violation of international law. We urge the UN Security Council to take immediate action to ensure accountability and prevent further atrocities.” The UK holds one of the five permanent seats on the Security Council and has been a vocal critic of the Myanmar junta since the February 2021 coup.
The blast is the deadliest single incident reported since the junta’s crackdown on opposition forces escalated earlier this year. More than 1.2 million people have been displaced across Myanmar since the coup, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The military’s use of airstrikes against civilian areas has been well documented, including a 2022 attack on a concert in Hpakant that killed over 100 people.
Myaing, once a quiet farming community of about 800 residents, now lies largely deserted. Survivors have fled to nearby jungles or across the border into Thailand. “We have nothing left. The houses, the school, the clinic are all gone,” said one resident who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal.
The call for UN intervention comes amid growing international frustration with the junta’s refusal to engage in peace talks. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Myanmar is a member, has been unable to implement a five-point consensus plan agreed in 2021 to end the violence. The UK’s move may pressure other Security Council members, including China and Russia, which have historically shielded the junta from strong UN action.
Human rights groups have urged the International Criminal Court to investigate the Myaing attack as a possible crime against humanity. “This is a clear pattern of impunity,” said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch. “The international community must stop issuing statements and start enforcing consequences.”
