Myanmar junta’s pre-election airstrikes kill dozens in Kachin State and Sagaing and Magway regions

Late last week, Myanmar’s military carried out a series of airstrikes that killed at least 28 civilians and injured dozens more, just days before concluding its month-long elections, widely criticised as illegitimate. The deadliest attack occurred on January 22 near Bhamo in Kachin State, where airstrikes hit civilians gathered for a funeral in villages west of the town, killing 22 people and injuring 28. Most victims were internally displaced persons (IDPs), including children, disabled people, and an infant whose parents were killed. According to the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), there was no fighting or armed presence in the area at the time. Additional airstrikes struck Tatkone village in Magway Region during a wedding ceremony, killing at least five people, including an infant, and destroying homes. In Sagaing Region, paramotor attacks killed at least one woman and injured two elderly villagers. Data from Myanmar Now and the National Unity Government (NUG) indicate a sharp rise in airstrikes: 262 attacks nationwide in December alone caused 198 deaths, including 15 children. In 2025, airstrikes have reportedly killed 2,326 civilians and injured more than 4,100. Observers warn that air attacks are likely to intensify as the military seeks to reassert control following elections widely dismissed as a sham to legitimise continued military rule.