Sat Sep 13 10:53:29 UTC 2025: ## Summary:

At least 18 people, mostly students, were killed in an airstrike on two private schools in Thayet Thapin village, Kyauktaw township, Rakhine state, Myanmar. The Arakan Army (AA), which controls the area, accuses the Myanmar military of carrying out the attack. The airstrike involved a jet fighter dropping two bombs on the schools, which housed boarding students. The incident has drawn condemnation from UNICEF, highlighting the escalating violence and its impact on children in Rakhine State. The AA has been gaining control in the region since launching an offensive in November 2023, and the military government has been stepping up airstrikes against resistance forces.

## News Article:

**Myanmar Military Accused of Deadly Airstrike on Schools, Killing at Least 18**

**Rakhine State, Myanmar –** At least 18 people, primarily students, were killed in an airstrike on two private schools in Rakhine State on Friday, according to the Arakan Army (AA) and local media. The AA, a powerful ethnic armed group controlling the area, has accused the Myanmar military of deliberately targeting Pyinnyar Pan Khinn and A Myin Thit Private High Schools in Thayet Thapin village, Kyauktaw township.

Khaing Thukha, spokesperson for the AA, stated that a jet fighter dropped two bombs on the schools. The victims were reported to be mostly 17- to 18-year-old students who were boarding at the schools.

The AA released a statement expressing sadness for the deaths of the “innocent students” and directly blamed the military for the attack. The region has seen increased fighting between the AA, which seeks greater autonomy for the Rakhine ethnic minority, and the Myanmar military, especially since the AA launched an offensive in November 2023.

The situation on the ground remains difficult to independently verify due to restricted access to the internet and cellphone service in the area. Wai Hun Aung, who directs relief work in Rakhine, reported that at least six houses near the schools were damaged, and 21 people were injured, including six in critical condition.

Local news outlets have published images and videos purportedly showing the aftermath of the airstrike, depicting debris and damaged buildings. These reports allege that a military warplane dropped two 500lb bombs on a high school as students slept.

The attack has drawn strong condemnation from international organizations. UNICEF released a statement on Saturday condemning the “brutal attack,” emphasizing that it “adds to a pattern of increasingly devastating violence in Rakhine State, with children and families paying the ultimate price.”

Myanmar has been in a state of turmoil since the military coup in February 2021, with widespread resistance and armed conflict throughout the country. The military government has increasingly relied on airstrikes against pro-democracy People’s Defence Force groups, highlighting the challenges faced by resistance forces who lack effective air defenses. This latest incident underscores the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the devastating impact of the conflict on civilian populations, particularly in areas like Rakhine State, which has a history of ethnic tensions and violence.

Read More