• An airstrike in Myanmar's western Rakhine state killed at least 18 individuals, primarily students.
• The attack on two private schools occurred while students were asleep, with reports of 19 fatalities.
• The Arakan Army claims responsibility for the area, stating numerous airstrikes have intensified amid ongoing conflict.

In a tragic incident, an airstrike by Myanmar’s military on two private schools in Thayet Thapin village has resulted in the deaths of at least 18 people, predominantly students aged between 15 and 21, according to the Los Angeles Times and Channel News Asia.

The strike took place late at night when a military jet reportedly dropped two 500-pound bombs on the Pyinnyar Pan Khinn and A Myin Thit Private High Schools, resulting in injuries to over 20 others. Khaing Thukha, a spokesperson for the Arakan Army, communicated that the casualties were mostly students aged “17 to 18 years” as confirmed by multiple sources including India Times and Al Jazeera.

The unrest in Rakhine is part of a larger conflict that has escalated since the military coup on February 1, 2021, which has resulted in a brutal crackdown on dissent and widespread violence. The Arakan Army has reported significant territorial gains and a sustained offensive against the military junta, which is struggling to maintain control across various regions of Myanmar, as noted by TRT World and South China Morning Post.

Local media outlets report that many of those killed were boarders in the schools, with some sources placing the death toll as high as 22 students. Humanitarian organizations have condemned the attack, describing it as a "brutal attack" that fits a disturbing trend of violence against children and families, a sentiment echoed by UNICEF in their statement addressing the escalating violence in Rakhine State, as reported by India Times and TRT World.