24 killed in paramotor attack: Defence Force official had received warnings before the attack

Around 100 people had gathered in Chaung U township on Monday evening for the Thadingyut festival, a national holiday with Buddhist roots. The gathering also included a candlelight vigil protesting the junta’s policies.

During the event, a paramotor dropped two bombs over the crowd, a local official from the anti-junta People's Defence Force told BBC Burmese.

The People's Defence Force official said that they had received warnings of a possible airborne attack and tried to end the protest quickly. However, the paramotors arrived earlier than expected.

"They arrived and dropped the bomb within just seven minutes," he said. "When the first bomb dropped, I fell to the ground, but it hit the lower part of my knee. There were people killed beside me."

Locals reported that the bombs caused such destruction that identifying the dead bodies was difficult.

"Children were completely torn apart," said a woman who helped organise the event. She was not present during the attack but attended the funerals on Tuesday and added that they were still collecting body parts from the ground.

Myanmar is set to hold its general elections in December, the first vote since the 2021 coup. Critics argue that the election will not be free or fair, allowing the junta to continue exercising unchecked power.

Amnesty International reaction

In a statement on Tuesday, Amnesty International said that the junta’s use of motorised paragliders to attack communities was part of a "disturbing trend" in the area.

BBC recently reported that the junta has increasingly been using paramotors due to a shortage of aircraft and helicopters. International sanctions have made it harder for the junta to procure military equipment.

Joe Freeman, Amnesty International’s Myanmar researcher, said the attack “should serve as a gruesome wake-up call that civilians in Myanmar need urgent protection.”

He urged ASEAN, the South East Asian regional bloc, to increase pressure on the junta and revise a policy approach that has failed the Myanmar people for almost five years.