On 28 September 2026, a Myanmar military fighter jet dropped two 500-pound bombs on the crowded Indian Market and the adjacent Kissapanadi Bridge in Kyauktaw Township, Arakan State. The targeted location was situated within an area controlled by the Arakan Army (AA). The airstrike killed at least 50 civilians, including children and a pregnant woman, and injured up to 60 others, with approximately 20 individuals reported in critical condition. The bombardment caused severe infrastructure damage by torching commercial buildings, damaging vehicles, and destroying sections of the Kissapanadi Bridge.
Recognized as the deadliest ever aerial attack on civilians in Arakan State, the massacre immediately provoked a global outcry of condemnation from rights groups, foreign governments, and United Nations agencies between 29 and 30 September. Responding to the mass casualties, UN human rights chief Volker Türk stated that the strikes underline the grave plight faced by civilians, stressing that the attack raises “serious concerns” regarding respect for international humanitarian law.
In response to the massacre, the Arakan Army publicly pledged to identify the individuals involved in the airstrike. The armed group stated its intent to launch retaliatory attacks against the perpetrators to seek justice for the civilians killed during the bombardment.