Dozens more were wounded in the attack in Kyauktaw Township, as fighting between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army continues across Rakhine State.
By Arakan Journal Staff – September 28, 2026
BANGKOK – At least 49 people were killed and 59 others wounded after a Myanmar military airstrike hit near a market in Kyauktaw Township in western Rakhine State on Monday, according to the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic Rakhine armed group and a local rescue official.
The attack struck the area around midday, when the market was crowded with vendors, shoppers, and pedestrians. The Rakhine ethnic armed group said a fighter jet dropped two bombs near the market, causing widespread casualties and damage.
Wai Hun Aung, a senior rescue official in Rakhine, confirmed the casualty figures to The Associated Press, citing rescue workers at the scene. He described the market as one of the region’s main wholesale centres, attracting traders and shoppers from across the state.
“This is one of the most severe airstrikes in Rakhine,” he said.
The Arakan Army (an ethnic armed group said 58 people were wounded, including 22 who were critically injured. It also said it would take retaliatory measures against those it holds responsible for the attack.
The details could not be independently verified.
Images and videos circulated on social media appeared to show buildings on fire, damaged vehicles, and destruction around a nearby bridge following the airstrike.
The Myanmar military had not immediately issued a comment on the attack. The military has previously said its airstrikes target legitimate military positions and has accused armed resistance groups of terrorism.
Fighting intensifies in Rakhine
The strike occurred in territory controlled by the Arakan Army (AA), a powerful ethnic armed organization seeking greater autonomy for Rakhine State. The group launched a major offensive against Myanmar’s military in Rakhine in November 2023 and has since captured a regional military headquarters and 14 of the state’s 17 townships, according to AP.
Myanmar has still been embroiled in armed conflict since the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, 2021. The coup triggered widespread protests, followed by a nationwide armed resistance after security forces violently suppressed demonstrations.
In Rakhine State, the conflict has also compounded an already severe humanitarian crisis. Restrictions on trade and transportation routes imposed amid the fighting have continued to cause shortages of food and other essential supplies.
The violence has significant implications for the Rohingya, many of whom remain displaced in Bangladesh after fleeing Myanmar during the military’s 2017 campaign. Rakhine State is also the proposed destination for any future Rohingya repatriation, making security and civilian protection central to discussions about a safe and voluntary return.
The latest attack follows other deadly airstrikes in Rakhine. In December, a Myanmar military airstrike on a hospital in Mrauk-U Township killed at least 34 people and wounded about 80 others, according to AP.
The continuing airstrikes and fighting underscore the deteriorating security situation in Rakhine State, where civilians are still exposed to violence while humanitarian needs continue to grow.
Source: Associated Press
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