At least 19 high school students were killed in Myanmar after an air strike targeted a school compound in the country’s conflict-ridden northern region, local officials and witnesses confirmed. The attack, which occurred during school hours, has sparked global outrage and renewed calls for an end to the military’s escalating campaign against civilian populations.
Eyewitnesses reported that fighter jets launched bombs directly over the school, sending students and teachers scrambling for safety. Many of the victims, aged between 14 and 18, were killed instantly, while several others sustained severe injuries. Rescue operations were hampered by continued shelling in the area, forcing families to flee into nearby forests.
Local resistance groups accused the Myanmar military of deliberately targeting civilians in its fight against armed ethnic militias. According to them, the school was not being used for military purposes, dismissing the junta’s frequent claims that civilian institutions double as bases for opposition fighters.
The United Nations strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. UNICEF and other child protection agencies called for accountability, stressing that schools must remain safe spaces even in times of armed conflict. Human rights groups also urged the international community to intensify sanctions and pressure on the Myanmar junta.
Myanmar has been embroiled in turmoil since the military seized power in a February 2021 coup, overthrowing the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Since then, clashes between the military and ethnic armed groups, alongside pro-democracy resistance fighters, have intensified, leaving thousands dead and displacing more than a million people.
Parents of the victims expressed grief and anger, questioning why their children had to pay the ultimate price for a war they had no part in. Many families now fear sending their children to school, with some communities suspending education altogether until security conditions improve.
As condemnation pours in from around the world, analysts warn that Myanmar’s conflict is sliding deeper into a humanitarian crisis, with civilians — especially children — bearing the heaviest burden. Calls for international intervention continue to grow, but with limited access to conflict zones, holding perpetrators accountable remains a daunting challenge.
