At least 14 civilians were killed and 11 others injured on Monday when the Myanmar Air Force launched three airstrikes on Kyaukkyi village in Arakan State’s Thandwe Township on Monday.
The Arakan Army (AA) reported on Aug. 10 that the bombardment destroyed at least 20 residential homes and a local Buddhist monastery. Thandwe—located 150 miles (240 km) south of the state capital Sittwe—has been under AA administrative control since it seized the township in July 2024.
Multi-Township Aerial Bombardments
The attack on Kyaukkyi village forms part of a wider wave of military air raids targeting AA-held territories across western Myanmar over the past week:
Western Myanmar Aerial Attack Summary (August 2026)
├── Thandwe (Kyaukkyi Village): 14 Killed | 11 Injured | 20 Homes & 1 Monastery Destroyed
├── Thandwe (Ngapali Town): 2 Injured | 20 Resort Bungalows Destroyed (300M MMK / $69.7k USD Damage)
├── Mrauk-U Township: 4 Injured | 30+ Airstrikes on Former Outposts / AA POW Facilities
└── Paletwa Township (Chin State): 2 Injured | Mass Civilian Displacement
- Ngapali Beach Resort Bombing (August 3): Nearly 60 airstrikes targeted Ngapali town in Thandwe Township, injuring two civilians and destroying 20 hotel resort bungalows, causing an estimated 300 million MMK ($69,700 USD) in structural damage.
- Mrauk-U POW Facility Attack (August 4): Eight Air Force jets carried out over 30 airstrikes on the former Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 540 and Police Battalion 31 outposts in Mrauk-U Township. The outposts, captured by the AA in February 2024, are currently used as detention facilities for regime prisoners of war (POWs). Four civilians were injured in the strike.
- Paletwa Airstrikes (August 11): In neighboring Chin State, two civilians were injured during airstrikes in Paletwa Township—located 286 miles (460 km) south of the Chin capital Hakha. Paletwa was captured by the AA in January 2024.
“Dropping bombs on defenceless citizens is cowardice,” A political analyst based in Arakan told DVB on the condition of anonymity.
ACLED Context: Escalation Under New Military Command
Aerial bombing campaigns intensified significantly after General Ye Win Oo replaced Min Aung Hlaing as Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services on March 30.
| Casualty Metric | Arakan State Total (Since March 30, 2026) |
| Total Verified Aerial Attacks | 82 (Airstrikes, Drones, Paramotors, & Gyrocopters) |
| Confirmed Civilian Fatalities | 56 |
| Confirmed Civilian Injuries | 170 |
| Primary Weaponry Used | Unguided aerial bombs, heavy artillery, suicide drones |
At least 56 fatalities and 170 injuries are the result of 82 aerial attacks, including airstrikes, drone, paramotor and gyrocopter attacks, in Arakan State since March 30.
With the AA maintaining administrative authority over 14 of Arakan’s 17 townships, local civil society organizations warn that persistent air raids targeting market centers, places of worship, and civilian settlements will trigger further mass displacement throughout the region.
