Rights organizations have condemned a deadly nighttime assault in central Myanmar in which motorized paragliders, or “paramotors,” dropped explosives on civilians, killing more than 20 people, including children, during the Thadingyut Festival of Lights.
The Attack
Witnesses in Chaung-U Township, Sagaing Region, reported that the first strike occurred around 8 p.m. on Monday, as residents gathered for a candlelight vigil calling for the release of detainees, opposing military conscription, and denouncing elections planned by the junta. At least 17 people, including a child under five, were killed instantly, with dozens more critically injured. A second strike followed around 11 p.m., compounding the devastation.
Weaponry and Tactics
Residents described the aircraft as single-seat paramotors, small paragliders powered by engines that emit a distinctive chainsaw-like sound. According to the UN Human Rights Office, such aircraft have been increasingly used to drop 120-mm mortar rounds indiscriminately on populated areas. Similar attacks were reported in the same township earlier this year, shortly after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake.
Pattern of Violence
The incident reflects a broader escalation of violence since Myanmar’s 2021 military coup. Despite an announced ceasefire, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights documented at least 243 military attacks last year, including 171 air strikes. In January 2024, an air raid near a church in Sagaing killed 17 civilians, nine of them children, prompting calls for war crimes investigations.
International Response
Amnesty International urged urgent protection for civilians, warning that the military is exploiting reduced international scrutiny to intensify attacks. Rights groups argue that the junta’s reliance on paramotors may reflect either fuel shortages due to sanctions or a tactical shift in targeting resistance strongholds.
Ongoing Conflict
Four years into the conflict, Myanmar’s military is estimated to control only a fraction of national territory, with People’s Defense Forces and ethnic armed groups holding significant ground in the Bamar heartland and advancing toward Mandalay. The violence has displaced millions, leaving communities in central and northern Myanmar under constant threat.
Sources: JURIST; Amnesty International; Al Jazeera.
