Myanmar Military Defends Deadly Air Strike On Concert That Killed At Least 50 Civilians

The Myanmar military on Tuesday defended air strikes on a concert organized by an ethnic minority force, which killed many people.

What Happened: Late on Sunday, air strikes in Kachin State in the north killed at least 50 civilians, including singers and officers of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), reported Reuters.

See Also: 'Genocide Against Rohingya Was Possible Only Because Of Facebook,' Says Refugee, As Amnesty Highlights Meta's Role In Myanmar Violence

The military later defended its stance after being accused of targeting civilians and conducting war crimes. It said it met international engagement rules and responded to ambushes and other attacks by the KIA forces.

"As security forces, they are responsible for fighting insurgents, which is essential for regional peace and stability," the military said in a statement posted on a military website.

The Kachin forces have been fighting for six decades for greater autonomy for the people of Kachin. The group also voiced support for opposition to military rule last year after the military coup toppled the democratically elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Check out more of Benzinga's Europe and Asia coverage by following this link.

Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Comments
Loading...
Posted In: NewsPoliticsGlobalGeneralAung San Suu KyiEurasiaMyanmar
Benzinga simplifies the market for smarter investing

Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.

Join Now: Free!