In 2026, the Junta Carried Out At Least 10 Airstrikes on Rakhine, Resulting in 33 Civilian Deaths—Including Detainees and Infants—and at Least 57 Injuries

News February 15, 2026

From January 1, 2026, to today, February 15, according to statistics compiled by Arakan Bay News, the Myanmar junta has conducted at least 10 airstrikes on Rakhine State.

Within this one-and-a-half-month period, the continuous use of lethal drones, paramotors, jet fighters, and other aerial attacks in military operations has led to rising civilian casualties in the region.

Due to the junta's aerial assaults, a total of 33 people—including infant children, families of military prisoners, and local civilians—have been killed, at least 57 have been injured, and more than 15 buildings, including homes, have been burned and destroyed, according to AB News data.

On February 12, which was Union Day, the junta carried out at least 4 airstrikes using jet fighters on Kyauktaw and Mrauk-U towns, resulting in 7 civilian deaths—including infants—and 16 injuries.

Similarly, on February 8 around 2 p.m., the junta dropped two 500-pound bombs from a jet fighter on Ward No. 3 in Thandwe town, injuring at least 2 locals and damaging more than 9 civilian homes.

On February 2 at around 5 p.m., the junta military dropped fewer than 3 bombs from a paramotor on Maw Gyi village in Kyaukpyu Township, killing one elderly displaced man and injuring 2 other civilians.

On January 28 around 2 p.m., the junta attacked Kun Taung village in Ponnagyun Township with lethal drones, burning down 2 homes. Later that evening, jet fighters bombed Pauktaw Township's Thea Khon village and Gyin Chaung village port areas.

On January 27, near Pet Khwet Seik village in Ponnagyun Township, the junta dropped more than 8 300-pound bombs in two separate attacks—at around 1 a.m. and after 1 p.m.—on a location where civilians were using Starlink internet.

On January 24 around 1 p.m., the junta used a lethal drone to attack a school sheltering displaced people in Mu Ywin village, Kyaukpyu Township, killing 2 displaced civilians and injuring 5 others, including children.

On January 22 at 11:35 a.m., the junta used a lethal drone to attack near Shwe Rakhine bus station on the Kyaukpyu-Yangon road in Zin Chaung Kone Bwe village, injuring 2 civilians.

On January 20 after 7 p.m., the junta used a jet fighter to drop 4 300-pound bombs on a location holding captured prisoners near Chaung Tu village between Kyauktaw and Ponnagyun, killing 21—including infant children—from prisoner families and injuring about 30.

Additionally, on January 18, the junta bombed near Kyauk Ka Lay village in Kyaukpyu Township with a jet fighter, killing 2 displaced women instantly.

These airstrikes have left displaced people and local civilians in constant fear and facing life-threatening dangers.

"A night flight means bombs could drop at any time—I'm always terrified. Even when sleeping, I can't sleep peacefully. If a car passes in front of the house, I mistake it for a jet sound and run to the bomb shelter. I feel like my life is no longer safe. When they bomb from the air, I wish they'd target only military-related areas. Please don't target places where civilians live," a woman from Mrauk-U town told AB News.

According to the Geneva Convention, in conflict zones, religious buildings, displacement camps, hospitals/clinics, and civilian residential areas unrelated to military activities must not be targeted. However, reports indicate the junta is deliberately targeting civilian areas unrelated to military objectives.

A male social activist said, "I never imagined such cruelty existed. Bombing civilians day after day destroys innocent people's lives, homes, and property. Claiming to build a better country while airstriking civilians is truly shameful. These actions only increase the people's hatred toward them."

As the junta intensifies airstrikes on Rakhine, the Arakan Army has officially warned locals to be especially cautious of aerial threats.

source@arakanbaynews