Myanmar Junta Airstrike Kills 13 in Rebel-Held Ruby Mining Town, Including Monk and Child

A deadly airstrike by Myanmar’s military junta on Saturday struck a crowded public area in the rebel-held mining town of Mogok, claiming 13 lives, including a Buddhist monk and a young boy, and injuring at least 14 others, the local sources and opposition groups confirmed, reported by Firstpost.

Myanmar Junta Airstrike Details

The incident occurred around 8:15 am local time (0145 GMT) in Mogok, a ruby-rich town in northern Myanmar now under the control of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), one of several armed ethnic resistance groups battling the junta since the military coup of 2021. A resident said seven victims died on the spot, while six others succumbed to their injuries later.

Among the dead were a monk collecting alms and a father and son riding a motorbike.  Speaking with the media, locals said, “A passing car was also struck — the driver is among the wounded.” TNLA spokeswoman Lway Yay Oo confirmed the attack and the casualty count, saying, “There were many civilians in the street, which is why the death toll was so high.” Mogok, a strategic town prized for its gem mines, was captured by rebel forces during a sweeping offensive that began in late 2023.

The region’s rich deposits of rubies and rare earth minerals are a major source of income for both junta and resistance factions, with much of the trade linked to Chinese buyers. While the junta has lost territory to a coalition of ethnic and pro-democracy forces over the past year, it has recently regained ground in central Myanmar, notably recapturing Thabeikkyin, a key gold-mining settlement.

The strike came days after the junta lifted its state of emergency in place since it ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in 2021 and announced elections for December. (With Firstpost Inputs)

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