At least 34 people have been killed and dozens more injured after Myanmar military air strikes struck a hospital in Mrauk-U, western Rakhine state, on Wednesday night, according to local sources and the Arakan Army (AA). The attack comes as Myanmar prepares for its first election since the 2021 military coup and amid ongoing conflict with ethnic armed groups.

The hospital, which is largely controlled by the Arakan Army, was reportedly filled with patients at the time of the bombing. Witnesses described the devastation, noting missing roofs, broken hospital beds, and debris scattered across the facility.

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Eyewitness Reports and Casualties

Khaing Thukha, spokesperson for the Arakan Army, told the BBC:

“This is the latest vicious attack by the terrorist military targeting civilian places. The military must take responsibility for bombing civilians.”

The AA health department confirmed that 10 patients were killed on the spot, with many others injured. Ground sources and images circulating on social media show extensive destruction to the hospital’s structure, including collapsed roofs and debris-covered wards.

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Context: Ethnic Conflict and Civil War

Since the 2021 coup, Myanmar has been engulfed in civil war, with ethnic armed groups such as the Arakan Army challenging the junta across multiple regions. The military has struggled to maintain control over large portions of the country, but recent air strikes, heavy bombardment, and technology imports from China and Russia have allowed it to regain territory in several regions.

In recent months, the military has also deployed motorised paragliders to drop bombs, including an incident earlier this year where over 20 people were killed at a religious festival.

The Arakan Army remains a formidable force, controlling most of Rakhine state and resisting junta control, while also being accused of atrocities against the Rohingya ethnic minority.

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Humanitarian Impact

The air strike on Mrauk-U Hospital exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in Rakhine state, where blockades and ongoing conflict have contributed to hunger, malnutrition, and displacement. Hospitals and schools in rebel-held areas have been heavily damaged or forced to close, leaving civilians without adequate medical care.

Thousands have died and millions have been displaced across Myanmar since the coup, with attacks on civilian infrastructure adding to the suffering.

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Political Context: Upcoming Elections

Myanmar’s military junta has scheduled general elections for 28 December 2025, framing the vote as a path to political stability. However, critics, including UN human rights expert Tom Andrews, have called the election a sham, warning that it will neither be free nor fair.

Ethnic armed groups and opposition movements have pledged to boycott the elections, and authorities have arrested civilians accused of disrupting the vote, including activists spreading anti-election messages online.

The air strike on Mrauk-U hospital occurs as the junta seeks to reclaim territory from ethnic armies ahead of the polls, using air bombardments and conscripted troops to assert control over contested regions.