Myanmar Military Air Strike Hits Monastery, 14 Killed

A Myanmar military airstrike on a Buddhist monastery killed 14 people. At the time of the incident, civilians were gathered at the monastery to attend a week-long meditation retreat.

The attack, which occurred on Friday (21/8), struck the monastery hall at around 9.00 am local time in the town of Myaung, Sagaing region, central Myanmar. The airstrike killed 11 men and three women, said Nway Oo Myaung, a pro-democracy rebel who helped evacuate the bodies, as reported by AFP news agency on Saturday (22/8/2026).

“Five of those killed were from our village and nine others were from other villages,” said another local opposition fighter on Saturday (22/8), speaking on condition of anonymity.

The airstrike on the monastery occurred amid ongoing violence in Myanmar since the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021.

The coup subsequently sparked an armed resistance movement that has since developed into a civil war across various regions of Myanmar.

For years, the Myanmar military has conducted operations to destroy groups opposing its rule, including pro-democracy forces and ethnic armed groups.