YANGON: At least 24 people were killed and 47 injured when Myanmar’s military used a motorised paraglider to drop bombs on a peaceful protest in Chaung U township, Sagaing region, on Monday evening, according to the government-in-exile and local resistance sources.
The protest, attended by around 100 people, was organised as a candlelight vigil against military conscription and in support of the release of political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, the ousted democratic leader.
Witnesses described the attack as devastating and swift, lasting just seven minutes, leaving many victims unrecognisable. “Children were completely torn apart,” said a woman who attended the funerals. Local PDF officials said they had received intelligence about a possible airborne attack and tried to disperse the crowd, but the paramotors arrived sooner than expected.
Sagaing — a battleground of resistance
Sagaing has been a key theatre in Myanmar’s civil conflict since the 2021 military coup, which triggered a nationwide insurgency involving armed resistance groups and ethnic militias. The People’s Defence Force (PDF), volunteer militias opposed to the junta, control large parts of the region and run local administration.
The junta has been regaining territory through airstrikes and heavy bombardment, targeting both armed resistance and civilian populations. Thousands have died, and millions have been displaced since the coup.
Use of paramotors signals new tactics
Human rights groups have condemned the military’s use of motorised paragliders, describing it as a “disturbing trend” in Myanmar’s ongoing conflict. Amnesty International called the attack a wake-up call for the urgent protection of civilians.
The junta has reportedly shifted to paramotors due to a shortage of aircraft and helicopters, exacerbated by international sanctions, while advanced military drones and equipment supplied by China and Russia have enhanced the junta’s operational capacity.
Global response and calls for action
Joe Freeman, Amnesty’s Myanmar researcher, urged ASEAN — which is scheduled to convene later this month — to “increase pressure on the junta and revise an approach that has failed the Myanmar people for almost five years.”
The international community has repeatedly condemned attacks on civilians in Myanmar, but analysts say enforcement of sanctions and protective measures has been limited, enabling the junta to continue its campaign.
Elections and ongoing political crisis
Myanmar is scheduled to hold general elections in December, the first since the 2021 coup. Critics warn that the polls are unlikely to be free and fair, intended instead to legitimise military rule. Many opposition parties have been banned, and voting is expected only in areas under military control.
The deadly airstrike on Monday’s peaceful protest underscores the junta’s willingness to deploy extreme violence against civilians, raising alarm about the deteriorating humanitarian and security situation in Myanmar.