New Delhi: More than 60 people were killed in an air strike during a concert held by an ethnic minority group people, as reported by news agency AP. Ethnic Kachin in Myanmar on Monday claimed that government air strikes have killed dozens of people attending a celebration. According to the reports of AP, members of the group and a rescue worker said, that the air strikes by Myanmar’s military killed many including singers and musicians, attending an anniversary celebration of the Kachin ethnic minority’s main political organization.
The attack comes three days before Southeast Asian foreign ministers are to hold a special meeting in Indonesia to discuss widening violence in Myanmar.
The incident occurred at Sunday night’s festival celebration by the Kachin Independence Organization in the northern state of Kachin. Since the military seized power in February last year from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, the number of casualties appeared to be the most in a single air attack, as reported by AP.
Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) in Myanmar has also expressed concern and is saddened by reports of airstrikes that took place in Hpakant.
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“While the UN continues to verify the details of this attack, we offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of all those who were killed or injured. The UN calls for those injured to be availed urgent medical treatment, as needed,” said the international organization in a statement.
Statement by the United Nations in Myanmar on reported airstrikes in Hpakant, Kachin State. https://t.co/0jVAcOngdx
— United Nations in Myanmar (@UNinMyanmar) October 24, 2022
“What would appear to be excessive and disproportionate use of force by security forces against unarmed civilians is unacceptable and those responsible must be held to account,” the statement added.