A devastating military airstrike targeted and destroyed a hospital in Mrauk-U, a township in Myanmar’s Rakhine state under Arakan Army control, resulting in 34 deaths and 80 injuries. The pre-dawn assault on Wednesday night has been met with widespread international condemnation, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation exacerbated by the ongoing civil war. This hospital was the primary, and often only, source of medical care for residents amid widespread closures of healthcare facilities due to relentless conflict. Medical professionals had recently recommenced operations in the town, captured by the Arakan Army (AA) in February last year, to provide life-saving services.
The specific timing of the attack, 9:13 pm, saw a jet fighter deliver two bombs. The recovery ward bore a direct hit, while another bomb detonated near the main building, causing catastrophic damage. Rescue workers arriving on the scene confirmed the high casualty count, comprising both patients and staff. Disturbing images show the hospital in ruins, with debris scattered across the site and vital medical equipment rendered unusable.
The destruction of this critical healthcare infrastructure leaves a significant deficit in medical services for the people of Rakhine. The Arakan Army has been consolidating control over large parts of the state, adding another layer of complexity to the region’s long-standing ethnic tensions and humanitarian challenges, which include the mass displacement of Rohingya Muslims in 2017.
This attack is part of a pattern of intensified military operations by the junta, which has been conducting numerous airstrikes against opposition forces. The legitimacy of upcoming elections has been questioned by many, including the shadow government, which has called for urgent international action to halt atrocities and provide aid. The bombing underscores the severe impact of the conflict on civilian populations and critical infrastructure.