Arakan News Agency
At least 33 civilians, including four Rohingya, were killed in an airstrike carried out by a Myanmar military warplane on the People’s Hospital in Mrauk-U town, northern Arakan State, on the night of December 10th.
The attack occurred around 9:00 PM, coinciding with International Human Rights Day, targeting the main hospital that serves civilians from both the Rohingya and Rakhine communities. The strike hit wards occupied by patients, caregivers, and displaced families seeking shelter within the facility.
Local residents told reporters that the initial death toll of 10 quickly rose as more bodies were recovered from the destroyed sections, according to Burma News International.
Sources cited by Arakan News Agency confirmed that four of the victims were Rohingya, and several others injured were receiving treatment for chronic illnesses or wounds sustained in ongoing clashes between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army (AA).
One resident reported that among the casualties were 16 men and 17 women, warning that the number of fatalities could rise further due to dozens of critically injured patients.
Mrauk-U town has been under the control of Arakan Army (AA) since February 8, 2024. The People’s Hospital remains one of the few functioning medical facilities in the area, relied upon by both Rohingya and Rakhine civilians for essential healthcare amidst the deteriorating humanitarian situation.
The Myanmar military has intensified a series of air and ground attacks on areas outside its control, targeting vital civilian infrastructure such as hospitals and markets. These attacks have resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties and exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in the state.
Arakan State, bordering Bangladesh, has long been a center of prolonged conflict, displacing tens of thousands of civilians, including Rohingya, who have historically faced marginalization and persecution.
According to UN and human rights organizations, around 500,000 Rohingya still live within Arakan State, facing extreme vulnerability due to restrictions on movement and fundamental rights, as well as escalating violence between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army (AA). These conditions have led to new waves of displacement and deprivation of essential services such as healthcare and education.
