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Junta increases airstrikes on schools in resistance-held areas, escalating child casualties

Event Summary

The Myanmar junta has systematically conducted airstrikes and aerial attacks targeting educational facilities and schoolchildren across multiple states and regions, resulting in mass civilian casualties, predominantly children. Between May and October 2025, verified attacks on schools in Tabayin, Kyauktaw, Kawkareik, Kyaukkyi, Mindat, and Hakha townships have killed over 75 children and teachers and injured hundreds more. Key recent incidents include the 13 October attack in Hakha Township, Chin State, that killed two children and injured over 20, the 8 October strikes in Mindat Township, Chin State, that killed three children and a disabled woman, and the devastating 12 September attack on boarding schools in Kyauktaw Township, Arakan State, that killed 22, mostly schoolchildren.

These attacks frequently occur in resistance-held areas where there is no ongoing fighting at the time, indicating the strikes are deliberate. The strategy has forced the widespread closure of schools, instilled profound fear in communities, and catalyzed a humanitarian adaptation, with civilians and civil society organizations constructing subterranean, bomb-proof schools and clinics to protect children and continue education underground. The junta routinely denies responsibility or falsely claims these civilian structures are legitimate military targets.

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