Sat Sep 13 08:30:20 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text, followed by a news article rewritten from it, suitable for publication in *The Hindu*:
**Summary:**
An air strike, allegedly carried out by the Myanmar junta, hit two private schools in Rakhine state, Myanmar, on September 12, 2025, reportedly killing at least 19 students and injuring 22 more. The Arakan Army (AA), which is fighting the junta for control of Rakhine, blamed the military for the attack, stating it occurred just after midnight on Friday. The UN has condemned the attack. Internet and phone services in the area are patchy, making verification difficult. The attack is the latest incident in the ongoing conflict in Myanmar following the 2021 coup.
**News Article:**
**Myanmar Junta Accused of Airstrike on Rakhine Schools, Killing At Least 19 Students**
**Bangkok, September 13, 2025 (The Hindu)** – At least 19 students, including children, have been killed and 22 wounded in an alleged air strike on two private high schools in Thayet Thapin village, Kyauktaw township, Rakhine state, Myanmar. The attack, which occurred just after midnight on Friday, September 12, has been attributed to the Myanmar military junta by the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic minority armed group currently engaged in fierce fighting with the junta for control of the region.
“We feel as sad as the victims’ families for the death of the innocent students,” the AA stated in a Telegram post.
The fighting in Rakhine is part of the wider conflict engulfing Myanmar since the military coup in 2021, which ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government. The AA has gained control of significant territory in Rakhine over the past year.
Local media outlet *Myanmar Now* reported that a junta warplane dropped two 500-pound bombs on the school while students were asleep.
UNICEF has condemned the “brutal attack,” stating that it “adds to a pattern of increasingly devastating violence in Rakhine State, with children and families paying the ultimate price.”
*The Hindu* was unable to independently verify the reports due to limited access to the affected area. Internet and phone services in Kyauktaw township are reportedly patchy. Attempts to reach the junta spokesman for comment have been unsuccessful.
The Myanmar military has been repeatedly accused of targeting civilian communities with air and artillery strikes as it struggles to suppress widespread opposition to its rule across the country. The incident is likely to further inflame tensions and escalate the ongoing civil conflict.
First Piper 