Myanmar’s military carried out a devastating airstrike on a school in Sagaing region, killing 22 people including children and teachers, while the military junta denies the attack ever happened.
At a Glance
- An airstrike by Myanmar’s military hit a school in Ohe Htein Twin village, killing 20 students and two teachers
- Dozens more students were wounded in the attack on the school operated by the pro-democracy movement
- State-run MRTV television has denied the reports, claiming they are “fake news” spread by opposition media
- The military has increasingly used airstrikes since seizing power from Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in 2021
- Over 6,600 civilians have reportedly been killed by security forces since the military takeover
Deadly Attack on School Children
An airstrike conducted by Myanmar’s military forces has resulted in the deaths of approximately 22 people at a school in the central Sagaing region. Reports from the scene indicate that among the dead were 20 students and two teachers when fighter jets bombed the school in Ohe Htein Twin village, located in Tabayin township.
The attack, which occurred early Monday morning, also left dozens of students wounded, with some reports suggesting as many as 50 people were injured in the devastating assault that damaged the school facility and three nearby houses.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T0LFW8xn9o
The school was reportedly operated by Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement, which has been in direct opposition to the military junta that seized power in February 2021. According to multiple news sources and resistance group members, the airstrike was unprovoked, with no recent fighting reported in the immediate area.
Despite the multiple eyewitness accounts and media reports documenting the casualties, Myanmar’s state-run television has taken a different position on the events.
An airstrike by Myanmar’s military on a village in the country’s central Sagaing region hit a school on Monday, killing as many as 20 students and two teachers, according to a member of a resistance group, an aid worker and media reports. https://t.co/52a65TnFsx
— TribLIVE.com (@TribLIVE) May 12, 2025
Military Denials and Rising Death Toll
The military junta’s official media outlet has categorically rejected reports of the airstrike. “State-run MRTV television denied the reports of the airstrike on Monday evening’s news broadcast, saying subversive media outlets were intentionally spreading fake news,” according to reports widely circulated in international media. This denial comes as independent media outlets from the region have reported death tolls ranging from 17 to over 20 people killed in the bombing, with verification of exact figures complicated by the remote location and ongoing conflict.
Multiple resistance sources and representatives from Myanmar’s National Unity Government have confirmed the casualty figures, with warnings that the death toll could rise as rescue efforts continue. Nay Phone Latt, a spokesperson for the opposition National Unity Government, verified the casualty numbers while noting that more deaths might be reported as the situation develops and more information becomes available from the targeted area.
Escalating Violence Against Civilians
The Sagaing region has emerged as a stronghold for armed resistance against Myanmar’s military rule, experiencing intensified military operations including air strikes against local pro-democracy forces. Since the military seized power from Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected government in February 2021, the junta has increasingly relied on air power to combat resistance forces. This escalation of aerial bombardment has resulted in growing civilian casualties across multiple regions, with schools, hospitals, and religious buildings not exempt from military targeting.
Human rights organizations report that over 6,600 civilians have been killed by security forces since the military takeover, with numerous allegations that the military deliberately targets civilian areas to undermine popular support for resistance movements. Previous airstrikes in the region have caused significant civilian casualties, including children, creating a pattern of violence that has continued despite occasional ceasefires, including one declared after a devastating earthquake struck parts of Myanmar in March 2023.
