Arakan News Agency
The current Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, has strongly condemned the airstrike carried out by the Myanmar military and the ruling military council targeting Mrauk-U Hospital in northern Arakan State, expressing deep concern over the attack on a medical facility and civilians, and describing it as a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
Anwar Ibrahim stressed that targeting civilians and healthcare facilities clearly contravenes the 1949 Geneva Conventions and runs counter to the principles enshrined in the ASEAN Charter, underscoring that such actions are unacceptable under any circumstances.
He also conveyed his sincere condolences to the families of the victims and affected communities, and wished a swift recovery to those injured in the airstrike, according to the Narinjara website.
In a statement issued by the ASEAN rotating chairmanship on 13 December 2025, ASEAN noted that the airstrike carried out on 10 December 2025 resulted in dozens of civilian casualties, including those killed and injured, further heightening concerns over the safety of civilians and civilian infrastructure in Arakan State.
ASEAN called on all parties in Myanmar to take immediate and concrete steps to halt indiscriminate violence, end attacks targeting civilians and civilian facilities, exercise maximum restraint, and ensure the protection of civilians and vital infrastructure, particularly healthcare institutions.
The regional bloc also renewed its call for the implementation of a comprehensive and prolonged nationwide ceasefire across Myanmar, emphasizing that de-escalation is essential to facilitate humanitarian access and reduce civilian suffering, warning that continued violence poses growing risks to regional stability.
ASEAN reaffirmed that the Five-Point Consensus remains the primary framework for addressing Myanmar’s political crisis, urging its full implementation to achieve an inclusive, peaceful, and sustainable political solution that would enhance security and stability in Myanmar and the wider region, and alleviate the suffering of civilians in Arakan State and across the country.
ASEAN’s condemnation comes amid continued military escalation by the Myanmar military council in Arakan State since the 2021 coup, with repeated airstrikes hitting civilian areas and critical infrastructure, including hospitals, markets, and places of worship.
These attacks form part of a broader pattern of violations against civilians in Arakan, occurring alongside the ongoing conflict between the Myanmar military and Arakan militias (AA), and have contributed to a sharp deterioration in humanitarian conditions, widespread displacement, and the deprivation of thousands of civilians from healthcare and other basic services.
