Airstrikes on schools in Myanmar kill 19 students, injure 22

Photo by Nahi Khabar 24/7 – via Personal Collection

At least 19 students have been killed and 22 others injured in an airstrike launched on two high schools in western Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The attack, carried out during the early hours while students were sleeping in boarding facilities, is being blamed on the Myanmar military. 

The schools—Pyinnyar Pan Khinn High School and A Myin Thit High School—located in Thayet Thapin village in Kyauktaw Township, were hit by 500-pound bombs, according to the ethnic Arakan Army (AA). Authorities say the blasts destroyed dormitory buildings and severely damaged classrooms. 

Relief workers and local sources report that many of the casualties were between the ages of 17 and 18. The injured are being treated in nearby medical facilities, though communications are severely restricted in the region, hampering verification and rescue efforts.

This strike comes amid ongoing conflict in Rakhine State, where the Arakan Army has gained control over several townships. The use of airpower against educational institutions has triggered widespread condemnation from rights groups, who argue that targeting schools violates international humanitarian principles.