New York: The United Nations children’s agency UNICEF has expressed alarm over reports of Myanmar military air strikes this week that a rebel group and local media said inflicted large civilian casualties, as a civil war rages around the country. Paramotors dropped bombs on a village in the central Sagaing region on Monday and a fighter jet conducted an air strike in Rakhine state, 320 kilometers to the west of that incident a day later, killing at least two dozen people in total, Myanmar Now and the Irrawaddy reported.
The Arakan Army, a rebel group at war with the ruling junta in Rakhine state, said 17 civilians including children were killed and 14 people wounded when the jet bombed a busy village market.
Reuters has been unable to independently verify the reports and a spokesperson for Myanmar’s military government did not respond to calls seeking comment.
UNICEF said it was “deeply alarmed” by the reports and urged all sides in Myanmar’s conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law.
“Children and civilians are once again bearing the brunt of escalating hostilities,” it said in a statement. “Ongoing clashes continue to displace children and upend their access to vital services, including health care, education and protection.”
