Junta Nighttime Airstrikes Kill Four Civilians in Western Myanmar
Airstrikes by Myanmar’s military junta targeted urban wards and nearby villages in Werathani (Pauktaw) Township late Tuesday, killing four civilians and wounding four others, including a volunteer aid worker, according to residents and rescue groups.
Junta warplanes bombed residential areas in Werathani Town as well as the nearby villages of Pyarthakywe and Zeechomaw shortly after 10:00 p.m. on October 20, unleashing a barrage of strikes that continued throughout the night.
Local responders identified two of the deceased as U Nay Win Oo, 41, and Ma Khin Oo, 26, both from Pyarthakywe Village. Two additional victims from Zeechomaw Village have not yet been identified.
The four injured residents include 14-year-old Maung Sit Nyein Naing, a volunteer with the local Pauktaw Social Assistance Association, alongside U Ba Tha, 53; U Maung San Yu, 40; and Daw Khin Yin Nu, 34.
Rescue workers reported severe operational challenges amid ongoing bombardment. "Because airstrikes occur daily, we are actively conducting rescue operations," said Ko Aung Phyo Way, chairman of the Pauktaw Social Assistance Association.
"During missions, we must remain constantly vigilant against secondary air attacks. We also face severe ambulance shortages, and when private vehicles are unavailable, emergency medical transfers are dangerously delayed."
On the same day, junta aircraft repeatedly bombed the Darkaing and Peinhnechaung mountain ranges and Ngapyi Island in Werathani Township, as well as targets in neighboring Ponnagyun Township.
The latest bombardment follows an October 10 airstrike on Hsin Ai Village in Werathani Township that killed seven civilians and injured more than 10 others.
Fierce clashes persist between military forces and the Arakan Army (AA) on Ngapyi Island, located along the border of Sittwe and Werathani townships, where junta naval vessels continue to shell the conflict zone with heavy artillery.
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