Myanmar’s military has ramped up its aerial campaigns in recent months, launching some of its most intense airstrikes since the 2021 coup. In early September alone, at least 26 individuals were killed in a series of bombings, including 10 children, as reported by UNICEF. Among the victims was a pregnant woman who tragically lost her unborn child.
The military conducted a minimum of seven airstrikes over four days from September 3 to 6, targeting various locations, including an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Pekhon township, southern Shan State. Daw Ohn Mar Khaing, a volunteer teacher at the camp, described the attack as shocking, noting there was no active fighting in the area. “We only have helpless women and children, who were displaced from the war in their villages,” she stated. On September 5, a fighter jet bombed the camp, resulting in the deaths of a family sheltering in a bunker, including 16-year-old Wai Wai Aung and her five younger siblings.
The trauma inflicted by these airstrikes has left lasting scars on the local population. Daw Ohn Mar Khaing reported that her students now flinch at any loud noise, even the sound of a car engine or generator. A video of a toddler trying to shoo away a fighter jet with a slipper recently went viral, highlighting the deep psychological impact of the ongoing violence on Myanmar’s children.
In the aftermath of the September 5 attack, medical personnel rushed the injured to clinics in neighboring Karenni State. Dr. Tracy, a 26-year-old doctor working underground to treat victims of military violence, recounted her harrowing experiences that day. She operated on multiple victims, including a two-year-old boy who did not survive and a severely injured pregnant woman, whose unborn child was also lost. “I wish death for Min Aung Hlaing,” she said, referring to the junta leader, revealing the profound despair and anger felt by many in the community.
With more than three years of conflict and suffering, local residents are grappling with trauma and PTSD, affecting individuals across all age groups. Dr. Tracy noted that everyone is suffering from mental health issues, regardless of their strength or resilience.
