The attack on the village of Kyauk Ni Maw, in the municipality of Ramree Island, killed more than 40 people and destroyed around 500 homes.
Airstrikes by Myanmar’s military in western Rakhine state have killed dozens of people this week, the United Nations said, as the country remains mired in violence four years after a coup.
In a statement late Friday, the UN said military government forces hit Kyauk Ni Maw, a village in the municipality of Ramree Island, killing more than 40 people and destroying about 500 homes.
Myanmar was in turmoil since the military overthrew the elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, sparking mass protests that developed into a widespread, multi-front armed insurgency that left thousands dead.
Women and children are among those killed in Rakhine, according to a statement attributed to the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Myanmar.
“The fighting in Rakhine has recently escalated, and civilians have paid the highest price of the conflict,” the statement said.
“Civilians face extreme risks, acute food insecurity and the near-total collapse of key public services.”
The UN report confirms earlier accounts of the deadly violence in Rakhine by rescuers and the ethnic armed group Arakan Army (AA).
AA has released the names of at least 26 Muslim locals it says are among those killed, and 12 people were injured in the attack.
Photos of the aftermath of the bombing obtained by the AFP news agency show dazed residents walking through charred and smoking rubble, the ground covered in corrugated metal, trees stripped of their leaves and buildings reduced to a few pieces of wall.
A spokesman for the military government did not respond to phone calls from news agencies Reuters and AFP seeking comment.
The government has repeatedly rejected accusations that its forces committing crimes against civilianssaying he was trying to fight “terrorists”.
The military is battling opposition to its rule on multiple fronts across the country, with several areas now falling under the control of various rebel groups.
In addition to AA, government forces are also fighting other groups such as Karen National Union and the Kachin Independence Army, among others.
Friday’s UN statement calls on all parties to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law.
He also called on all parties “to guarantee unhindered humanitarian access for the delivery of aid to the most vulnerable”.
Meanwhile, the Blood Money Campaign, a coalition of Myanmar activists working to end revenue for the military government, called on international governments to quickly sanction entities that supply them with jet fuel.
“Only when this support stops will the airstrikes truly stop,” said Mulan, a spokesman for the Blood Money Campaign, which goes by one name.
Last week, the UN said more than 3.5 million people had passed displaced by the conflict in Myanmar – an increase of 1.5 million compared to last year.
