Kathmandu— A military air strike in central Myanmar has resulted in the deaths of at least fourteen individuals at a Buddhist monastery, with reports emerging Friday from an opposition group and local residents. The attack occurred in Swel Le Oh village, Myaung township, approximately 75 kilometers (47 miles) west of Mandalay, during a weeklong religious retreat for Buddhist Lent attended by over one hundred people. While the military has not yet commented, the incident underscores the ongoing violence plaguing Myanmar since the army’s seizure of power in February 2021 and the subsequent armed resistance.

Details of the Attack

Nway Oo, a spokesperson for the Civil Defense and Security Organization of Myaung Township (CDSOM), reported that a fighter jet bombed the monastery compound on Friday, killing fourteen people—including three women—and injuring twenty others. A local villager, speaking anonymously to The Associated Press, confirmed the death toll and stated that two bombs were dropped fifteen minutes apart. Tragically, the villager revealed his mother-in-law was among those killed in the strike.

Escalating Conflict

Myanmar has been gripped by a near countrywide civil war since the military ousted the elected government in 2021. Initial peaceful demonstrations were met with violent suppression, leading many opponents of the military regime to take up arms. The resulting conflict involves a diverse range of armed groups—ethnically and politically divided—some of which have operated for decades. Resistance forces and ethnic armies currently control an estimated forty-two percent of the country, while the military government controls twenty-one percent.

Recent UN Findings

The United Nations-established Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) reported in August a noticeable increase in aerial attacks both before and after recent elections held in December and January. The IIMM stated these attacks have continued without abatement. However, Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed the IIMM report, asserting that security forces target only “terrorists” and exercise maximum restraint to avoid civilian casualties.

The attack on the monastery highlights the escalating violence in Myanmar and the ongoing struggle between the military government and resistance forces. The conflict has already resulted in over 100,000 deaths and displaced more than 5.2 million people.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.