Myanmar military defends air strikes on concert that claimed 80 lives and injured 100

Junta claims its forces were responding to ambushes by rebel group and denies bombing a concert

Myanmar’s military has defended air strikes it carried out on a concert organised by an ethnic minority that killed as many as 80 people, including singers and musicians.

The military claimed it was responding to the ambushes and attacks from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), a group engaged in a six-decade-long struggle demanding greater autonomy for the Kachin people.

The strikes, which were carried out on Sunday, were in accordance with international rules of engagement, the junta claimed, adding that it was a “necessary operation” in response to “terrorist” acts carried out by the Kachin group.

It also dismissed the reports of a high death toll as “rumours” and denied bombing a concert with singers and members of the audience among the dead.

“As security forces, they are responsible for fighting insurgents, which is essential for regional peace and stability,” the military said.

The KIA has been vocal in its opposition to military rule in the wake of last year’s coup leading to the overthrowing of the elected civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Kachin are also one of the stronger ethnic rebel groups, capable of manufacturing their own armaments, and have loose alliances with armed militias of pro-democracy forces formed in 2021 to fight military rule.

The air strike took place in the A Nang Pa region of Hpakant township, where people were celebrating the 62nd anniversary of the founding of the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO). The concert was held at a base which is also used for training by the KIA, the armed wing of KIO.

While the initial death toll was reported to be at around 60, the tallies later rose to 80, with about 100 injured, according to the Associated Press.

A source close to KIA said the military aircraft dropped four bombs on the celebration attended by about 300-500 people. Among the dead included a Kachin singer, keyboard player, Kachin officers and soldiers, jade mining business owners and other civilians.

It was, however, impossible to independently confirm details, reported the news agency, adding that media outlets sympathetic to the Kachin shared videos showing what was called the aftermath of the attack, with a splintered and flattened wooden structure.

The Kachin News Group, a media outlet sympathetic to the KIO, reported that an initial search found 58 bodies and that government security forces blocked the injured from receiving treatment at hospitals in nearby towns. It later reported that more 20 bodies were recovered taking the total tally to around 80.

The opposition slammed the junta for targeting civilians and conducting war crimes, reported media, citing witnesses who said three planes carried out the attack.

“We need immediate tangible action and support from the international community to hold the junta accountable,” said Sasa, a spokesperson for the National Unity Government, a group largely made up of Suu Kyi loyalists.

The UN’s office in Myanmar also said it was “deeply concerned and saddened” by reports of the air strikes.

“What would appear to be excessive and disproportionate use of force by security forces against unarmed civilians is unacceptable and those responsible must be held to account,” it said.

Envoys representing western embassies in Myanmar, including the US, issued a joining statement saying the attack underscored the junta’s “disregard for its obligation to protect civilians and respect the principles and rules of international humanitarian law”.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a nonprofit that tracks killings and arrests, had earlier on Friday said 2,377 civilians have died in crackdowns by the security forces since the army took power. Its figure, however, does not always include people killed in military actions in the countryside.

“We fear this attack is part of a pattern of unlawful aerial attacks by the military which has killed and injured civilians in areas controlled by armed groups,” Amnesty International’s deputy regional director Hana Young said in a statement.

“The military has shown ruthless disregard for civilian lives in its escalating campaign against opponents. It is difficult to believe the military did not know of a significant civilian presence at the site of this attack. The military must immediately grant access to medics and humanitarian assistance to those affected by these air strikes and other civilians in need,” Ms Young said.

Additional reporting by agencies