Mrauk-U, Rakhine State – A deadly airstrike on Mrauk-U General Hospital in western Rakhine State has left at least 33 people dead and more than 70 injured, according to humanitarian groups and local officials.
The attack, carried out by Myanmar’s military on 10 December, has been described as one of the deadliest assaults on a medical facility since the country’s 2021 coup.
Witnesses reported that two 500-pound bombs were dropped on the hospital at approximately 9:13 p.m. local time, striking both the patient ward and the pharmacy.
The hospital, a 300-bed facility, was full of patients and medical staff at the time of the attack. Survivors described scenes of devastation, with wards and operating theatres reduced to rubble.
The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) has called for witnesses to come forward, stressing that hospitals are protected civilian objects under international law.
“Deliberate or indiscriminate attacks against these protected persons and objects is a violation of international law and may constitute a war crime,” the mechanism stated.
ASEAN issued a rare and strongly worded condemnation, with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, serving as ASEAN Chair, declaring: “Attacks targeting civilians and medical facilities, in violation of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions of 1949, are unacceptable and inconsistent with the principles enshrined in the ASEAN Charter.” He urged all parties in Myanmar to halt indiscriminate violence and implement a ceasefire.
The United Nations also expressed grave concern, warning that the strike could amount to a war crime. Aid organisations highlighted the urgent need for humanitarian access to the affected communities, noting that many of the injured require specialised treatment beyond the region’s limited medical capacity.
Mrauk-U, once the capital of the Arakanese kingdom, has been under the control of the ethnic Arakan Army since early 2024. Analysts suggest the attack reflects the junta’s escalating military campaign ahead of its widely criticised elections later this month.
The incident has intensified calls for international accountability and renewed pressure on Myanmar’s military regime. Regional observers argue that the strike underscores the urgent need for stronger international intervention to protect civilians caught in the ongoing conflict.
Sources: The Irrawaddy, Anadolu Agency, Al Jazeera
