Myanmar Junta Drops 400 Bombs Despite Ceasefire, Rebels Say

CJ

Myanmar’s military has carried out more than 400 attacks on Rakhine state despite announcing a ceasefire to aid earthquake recovery, according to the Arakan Army (AA), one of the country's largest ethnic rebel groups.

In a statement released Thursday, the AA said junta forces launched 409 assaults — including airstrikes, drone attacks and artillery shelling — across Kyaukpyu, Taungup, Kyauktaw, Sittwe and Pauktaw between 2 and 22 April. The strikes reportedly killed one civilian and injured 28 others, among them five children.

The military had pledged a ceasefire following a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on 28 March, killing more than 3,700 people. However, reports from civilians and humanitarian groups suggest the junta has blocked aid efforts and used the disaster as a pretext to advance military operations.

In Rakhine alone, the AA claims 21 houses, two shops and a religious building were damaged or destroyed in the latest attacks. Nationwide, the exiled National Unity Government says junta forces bombed 12 of Myanmar’s 14 major regions during the so-called ceasefire, leaving over 160 dead and nearly 300 wounded.

“The military is using this natural disaster as a political opportunity,” said Moe Htet Nay from independent research group Nyan Lynn Thit Analytica. “They have never had good intentions towards the people.”

The Arakan Army, part of a broader insurgent coalition, has captured 14 of Rakhine’s 17 townships since launching its Operation 1027 offensive last year. Meanwhile, civilians caught in the crossfire described the ceasefire as "just a show" when speaking to Radio Free Asia.

The junta has extended the ceasefire until 30 April, but many fear that the violence will continue unchecked. Requests for comment from junta officials went unanswered.

-2025-04-28