Drone attack kills over 200 Rohingya in Myanmar
A drone attack on Rohingya fleeing Myanmar killed many dozens of people, including families with children, several witnesses said, describing survivors wandering between piles of bodies to identify dead and injured relatives.
On Monday, four witnesses, along with activists and a diplomat, described the drone strikes that hit families attempting to cross the border into Bangladesh. Three of the witnesses blamed the Arakan Army for the attack, an accusation the group has denied, with both the militia and Myanmar’s military blaming each other.
Footage shared on social media showed bodies lying across muddy terrain, surrounded by scattered belongings such as suitcases and backpacks. Three survivors claimed that over 200 people had been killed, while another witness reported seeing at least 70 bodies at the scene.
One of the witnesses, 35-year-old Mohammed Eleyas, shared that his pregnant wife and two-year-old daughter were injured in the attack and later died. He recounted standing with them on the shoreline when the drones began their assault. Eleyas spoke from a refugee camp in Bangladesh.
Another witness, 28-year-old Shamsuddin, said he survived the attack along with his wife and newborn son. Speaking from a Bangladeshi refugee camp, he described the aftermath, with many lying dead and others crying out in pain from their injuries.
In addition to the drone strikes, boats carrying Rohingya, who are part of a largely Muslim minority facing severe persecution in Myanmar, sank in the Naf River separating the two countries on the same day, causing further deaths. This was confirmed by two witnesses and reports from Bangladeshi media.
A United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson acknowledged being aware of refugee deaths due to the capsizing of two boats in the Bay of Bengal. The UNHCR had also received reports of civilian casualties in Maungdaw, but the agency has not been able to confirm the exact numbers or the circumstances surrounding these incidents.
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