Over 60 Civilians Killed or Injured in Rakhine Due to Airstrikes in One Month

News January 26, 2026

In Rakhine State, due to the military junta's airstrikes, at least 62 civilians—including families of prisoners of war—have been killed or injured in January alone, according to statistics compiled by AB News.

Based on the collected data, at least 25 civilians have been killed and approximately 37 injured due to attacks involving jet fighters and suicide drones (including drones).

On January 24, around 1:00 p.m., the military junta carried out an airstrike using a suicide drone on a school sheltering war-displaced civilians in Murin village, Kyaukphyu Township.

According to the United League of Arakan (ULA)/Arakan Army (AA), the drone attack killed 2 displaced civilians sheltering in the school and injured 5 others, including a young child.

The deceased were Daw Phyu Nu (81 years old) and U Htwe Dawng (56 years old) from Thayin Chaung village, Kyaukphyu Township. The injured included Maung Aye Min Khine (9 months old) from Soi Khone Twin village, Daw Khin San Win (34 years old), Daw Ma Mya Yin (56 years old) from Thayin Chaung village, Daw Ba Nu (67 years old) from Zoi Chaung village, and U Maung Kyaw (63 years old).

On January 22 at around 11:35 a.m., the military junta attacked the area near Shwe Arakan bus station on the Kyaukphyu-Yangon road in Zin Chaung Kon Bway village using a suicide drone.

The attack injured U Min Thant Tun (also known as Kular Chay, 34 years old) and Ma Pan Ei San (24 years old) from Kun Bwaung Kyi village.

Similarly, on January 20 after 7:00 p.m., during the town seizure battle near Chaung Tu village on the Kyauktaw-Ponnagyun border, the military junta bombed the site where captured prisoners were being held using jet fighters and four 300-pound bombs.

This resulted in the deaths of 21 POW family members, including young children, and injuries to approximately 30 others.

On January 18, the military junta carried out airstrikes with jet fighters on an area near Kyauk Kalay village in Kyaukphyu Township, killing 2 displaced women instantly.

The deceased women were Ma San Shwe (43 years old) from Pyada Taung village and Daw Khin San Oo (40 years old) from Min Hta Taung village in Kyaukphyu Township.

As intense fighting continues between the Arakan Army and the military junta in Kyaukphyu, the junta has repeatedly carried out airstrikes on displaced civilian locations, causing widespread fear and anxiety among the displaced population, according to one displaced person.

“A recently, they’ve been bombing the places where we’re sheltering with drones, so we’re quite worried. We have no choice but to stay here. There’s no safety at all anymore. We keep thinking about when the next bomb will come,” said a 40-year-old man sheltering in Kyaukphyu Township.

Under the Geneva Conventions, in conflict zones, religious buildings, displaced persons camps, hospitals/clinics, and civilian residential areas unrelated to military activities must not be targeted. However, the military junta has been deliberately targeting these civilian locations, leading to rising civilian casualties.

A female social activist stated: “The military council is directly violating the Geneva Conventions by intentionally targeting innocent civilians, POWs, and basic infrastructure. Instead of protecting civilians, they continue airstrikes, using people’s lives as a weapon for their power. Even with the ongoing elections, it’s just a superficial transition, and human rights violations are likely to continue.”

Due to the military junta intensifying airstrikes in Rakhine State, the Arakan Army has officially warned civilians to take special precautions against aerial threats.

source@arakanbaynews