Myanmar Airstrike Kills 14 at Buddhist Monastery

At least 14 people, including three women, were killed when Myanmar's military conducted an airstrike on a Buddhist monastery in the central Sagaing region on Friday, according to an opposition group and local witnesses. The attack, which also wounded 20 others, targeted a compound in Swel Le Oh village, Myaung township, where more than 100 people had gathered for a weeklong meditation retreat to mark Buddhist Lent.

The strike occurred at approximately 9 a.m. local time, said Nway Oo, a spokesperson for the Civil Defence and Security Organisation of Myaung Township (CDSOM). A local villager, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the death toll to The Associated Press and provided further details. The villager reported that a military jet dropped two bombs on the village 15 minutes apart, with the second bomb damaging a house near the monastery where the retreat was being held. The villager, who lost a relative in the attack, said residents fled to a nearby community after burying the victims' bodies.

The military government has not immediately commented on the specific incident. In the past, the military has stated it only attacks legitimate targets of war, accusing...