23 October 2022

On 23 October 2022 at 2040 local time, an airstrike was carried out in the A Nang Pa area, close to Hpakant (ဖားကန့်) Township in Northern Myanmar with reports of more than 80 casualties.

Myanmar Witness has geolocated footage of the aftermath of the attack and matched it to before and after satellite imagery showing extensive damage to the area.

Myanmar Witness has counted at least 30 distinct bodies in the footage collected so far, giving an absolute minimum number of deaths that will increase as more footage emerges.

Of these, only two bodies appear to have been wearing a uniform at the time of their death, while the other 28 were not in any kind of uniform or what they are wearing cannot be identified.

Multiple reports on social media claim that military forces on the ground blocked streets and a local bridge after the incident, preventing access to healthcare for the injured and dying - inevitably increasing the death toll. If proven, this could represent a breach of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

Read Myanmar Witness’ report for more information.