Chaung U: At least 40 people were killed in a military strike on a festival event and protest in Myanmar's Chaung U township on Monday evening (October 6). Several disturbing visuals of the aftermath of the attack surfaced online. The attack was carried out during the Thadingyut full moon festival and an anti-junta agitation.
Around 100 people were reportedly gathered for the protest. In the videos that surfaced online, several dead bodies could be heard crying after seeing the dead bodies of their family members. Houses were also reportedly damaged in the military strike. The deceased also includes children and women.
Around 80 others were also wounded in the attack. “One motor-powered paraglider flew right over the crowd,” a woman told news agency AFP. Some people reportedly managed to flee before the attack as a local committee alerted them.
Meanwhile, another motorised paraglider flew overhead as the people rushed to the spot to help the wounded. "While I was saying to people 'please don't run', the paramotor dropped two bombs," a resident of Chaung U told the news agency.
Human rights watchdog Amnesty International condemned the brutal attack on civilians. In a statement, Amnesty said that the attack “should serve as a gruesome wake-up call that civilians in Myanmar need urgent protection." It further added that the attack highlighted that the military has intensified its brutal campaign against people protesting against it.
Myanmar has been witnessing civil war since the military seized power in 2021 after a coup. It led to civil unrest in the Asian country.
