13 Killed in Junta Air Strike on Rebel-Held Ruby Mine

Mizzima

At least 13 people have been killed in a Myanmar military air strike targeting a ruby mining area held by rebel forces, as the country’s civil conflict continues to escalate.

The attack hit near the town of Mogok on Saturday morning at around 8:15am, according to a local resident and a spokesperson from an armed opposition group. Seven people died instantly, with six more succumbing to injuries shortly after.

Among the dead were a Buddhist monk collecting alms and a father and son travelling on a motorbike, according to eyewitness accounts. The identities of the other victims have not been released.

The junta has not issued a statement on the strike, and military spokespersons could not be reached for comment.

Mogok, in central Myanmar, is world-renowned for its ruby mines and has become a strategic asset in the conflict. Since the military coup in 2021, pro-democracy fighters and ethnic armed groups have joined forces, launching a series of offensives that captured significant territory by late 2023 — including Mogok.

Myanmar’s natural resources, particularly gems and rare earth minerals, are highly prized by all sides. Profits from their trade, often channelled into neighbouring China, help fund the continuing war effort.

Saturday’s strike is the latest in a pattern of deadly aerial assaults by the military, which has increasingly relied on air power to reclaim lost ground. Civilian casualties are mounting, with the United Nations and rights groups warning of indiscriminate violence and worsening humanitarian conditions.

With fighting intensifying and little sign of a political solution, observers fear more bloodshed is inevitable — especially in resource-rich regions like Mogok.

-2025-08-04