Tragedy Strikes: Airstrike Destroys Hospital in Myanmar's Rakhine State

An airstrike by Myanmar's ruling junta on a hospital in Rakhine State left at least 30 people dead and over 70 injured. The attack raises concerns of war crimes, prompting calls for investigation. The hospital now lies in ruins, highlighting the crisis amid ongoing conflict in Myanmar.

An airstrike by Myanmar's ruling junta has devastated a hospital in the western Rakhine state, killing at least 30 people, including patients, according to reports from a rebel group, aid worker, and eyewitnesses. Over 70 others were injured in the attack, prompting international condemnation and calls for investigation.

The hospital, located in Rakhine's Mrauk U township, was struck by bombs from a military aircraft late on Wednesday, reducing the facility to rubble. The attack comes amid a backdrop of ongoing conflict since the military's 2021 coup, and U.N. human rights chief Volker Turk has described the assault as potentially a war crime.

Images shared by aid worker Wai Hun Aung showed the hospital in ruins, with its infrastructure destroyed and victims' bodies scattered. The U.S. State Department condemned the violence, urging Myanmar's military to allow humanitarian aid and engage in dialogue with opposition forces to ensure regional stability.

(With inputs from agencies.)