News|ConflictMyanmar military says armed groups used hospital it bombed, killing dozensWitnesses at the hospital and the UN say the attack killed medics, patients and may ‘amount to a war crime’.
On Sat, Dec 11, 2025, Myanmar's military confirmed an air strike on a hospital in the western Rakhine state, resulting in 33 fatalities. The military claims those killed were members of opposition groups and their supporters, not civilians.
On Sat, Dec 11, 2025, Myanmar's military confirmed an air strike on a hospital in the western Rakhine state, resulting in 33 fatalities. The military claims those killed were members of opposition groups and their supporters, not civilians.
According to witnesses, aid workers, and the United Nations, the victims were civilians seeking medical care. The military reported that armed groups, including the Arakan Army and the People's Defence Force, utilized the hospital as a base. Consequently, the military initiated a counterterrorism operation at the general hospital in Mrauk-U township on Wed, Dec 8, 2025.
The United Nations condemned the attack, highlighting that it targeted a facility providing emergency care, obstetrics, and surgical services, and is part of a wider pattern affecting civilians and civilian structures across Myanmar. UN rights chief Volker Turk labeled the attacks as potential war crimes and called for investigations and accountability. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported significant damage to hospital infrastructure, including the destruction of operating rooms and inpatient wards.
On Sat, Dec 11, 2025, Myanmar's military confirmed an air strike on a hospital in the western Rakhine state, resulting in 33 fatalities.
Mrauk-U, situated 530km northwest of Yangon, was seized by the Arakan Army in Feb 2024. The Arakan Army, representing the Rakhine ethnic minority seeking autonomy, has been active in Rakhine since Nov 2023, capturing key military positions and most of the region's townships.
The Arakan Army declared intentions to seek accountability for the air strike in collaboration with international organizations. The military government has intensified air strikes ahead of the elections scheduled for Thu, Dec 28, 2025. Critics argue that these elections will not be free or fair, viewing them as a means for the military to maintain power.
Myanmar has experienced significant unrest since the military takeover in 2021, with widespread resistance leading to ongoing conflict throughout the country.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.