ASEAN Condemns Deadly Military Airstrike In Myanmar, Calls For End Of Violence

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th April, 2023) The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Thursday condemned a military airstrike carried out by Myanmar's armed forces in its northwestern region of Sagaing, which killed dozens of people.

"ASEAN strongly condemns the reported recent air strikes carried out by the Myanmar Armed Forces in Pa Zi Gyi Village, Kanbalu Township, Sagaing Region of Myanmar, that claimed the lives of at least dozens of civilians," the association said in a statement.

ASEAN also called for an immediate end to all forms of violence, specifically the use of force against civilians, as the only way to find a sustainable peaceful solution in Myanmar is to "create a conducive environment for an inclusive national dialogue."

On Tuesday, Myanmar's military government staged an airstrike on the village of Pa Zi Gyi, reportedly dropping two bombs on a house and launching several rounds of gunfire from a Mi-35 combat helicopter. Media reported that the death toll stood at 100, with at least 30 children killed, adding that the number might rise.

Military government spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun acknowledged the fact of the airstrike, saying that the military targeted the opening ceremony for an office set up by an armed opposition group.

Local news outlet Eleven Media reported on Wednesday, citing a government memo that it had obtained, that significant casualties and extensive destruction were caused not by the airstrike itself, which was "precise and carefully calculated," but by an accidental direct hit on a camouflaged ammunition stock, which belonged to "terrorists" and was located in the immediate vicinity of the event's site.

The military came to power in Myanmar in February 2021. The opposition resorted to armed struggle after a brutal crackdown on peaceful demonstrations by the military regime and the police. The military arrested government officials, accusing them of rigging the general election, and later appointed a new administration.