Myanmar crisis: 50 killed in air raid on Kachin rebels, reports say

At least 50 people attending a concert put on by an ethnic minority group in Myanmar have been killed in an air strike.

The group is reportedly in conflict with the ruling military junta.

The air strike took place late on Sunday in the northern state of Kachin and local media reported that it killed civilians, prominent local singers, and officers of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA).

The military government’s information office confirmed in a statement that there was an attack on what it described as the headquarters of the Kachin Independence Army’s 9th Brigade, calling it a “necessary operation” in response to “terrorist” acts carried out by the Kachin group.

It called reports of a high death toll “rumors”, and denied the military had bombed a concert and that singers and audience members were among the dead.

Myanmar has been wracked for decades by rebellions by ethnic minorities seeking autonomy, but anti-government resistance increased markedly nationwide since the army overthrew an elected government early last year.

Opposition movements, some of them armed, have since emerged across the country, which the military has countered with lethal force.

KIA spokesperson Naw Bu said the attack targeted celebrations of the 62nd anniversary of the formation of the Kachin army’s political wing, the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO).

“The air raid was intentional. The KIA/KIO strongly condemns this,” he said by phone, adding his organization could not yet confirm the total death toll.

Agencies