Myanmar hospital airstrike sparks global outrage and war crime fears

A deadly airstrike on a major hospital in Myanmar’s Rakhine state has triggered international outrage, with the United Nations warning that the attack could constitute a war crime. UN human rights chief Volker Türk urged an immediate and independent investigation, saying the rising brutality in the country demanded global attention.

The strike hit the Mrauk U General Hospital late Wednesday, according to the Arakan Army, which has been engaged in fierce clashes with the ruling military junta. Spokesperson Khine Thu Kha said the facility was directly targeted by bombs dropped from a military aircraft, reducing the 300-bed hospital to rubble and causing heavy casualties.

Photos shared by local aid worker Wai Hun Aung showed the site in complete devastation—collapsed structures, mangled beams and bodies laid out amid the debris. Reuters could not verify the images, but witnesses described scenes of chaos and fire engulfing the building shortly after the explosions. Survivors and medical staff were swiftly relocated to safer areas.

A 23-year-old resident who rushed to the hospital after hearing blasts said the destruction was overwhelming. He recalled seeing flames spreading across the compound and numerous victims scattered around, many critically injured.

The junta, which controls Myanmar’s only air force, has expanded its aerial campaign across rebel-held regions this year. Independent conflict monitors report more than 2,100 airstrikes between January and late November—surpassing the total for all of last year.

The US State Department condemned the attack as “deeply disturbing,” urging the junta to halt violence, allow unrestricted humanitarian access, free political detainees, and pursue dialogue with opposition groups. Such steps, a spokesperson said, are vital for stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Myanmar has faced relentless conflict since the 2021 military coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government. Armed resistance forces formed after the takeover have increasingly aligned with powerful ethnic armies such as the Arakan Army. Since the collapse of a ceasefire in 2023, the Arakan Army has seized control of most of Rakhine state, including 14 of its 17 townships—territory larger than Belgium, according to independent analysts.

Although Mrauk U has been under Arakan Army control for over a year and has seen no major clashes recently, local groups say civilians remain vulnerable as the junta intensifies air operations across the country.