Spokesman says some of the dead were anti-coup fighters in uniform but there could be ‘some people in civilian clothes’.
Zaw Min Tun, a spokesman for the military, confirmed the raid late on Tuesday, saying security forces attacked an opening ceremony for the office of an alleged militia group opposed to their rule in Pa Zi Gyi village.
He told the AFP news agency that some of the dead were anti-coup fighters in uniform but “there could be some people with civilian clothes”.
He went on to blame mines planted by the militias – known as the People’s Defence Forces – for some of the deaths.
Witnesses told local media the attack took place early on Tuesday morning, with fighter jets dropping bombs on the community hall. Helicopter gunships followed, shooting at survivors at the scene.
“Many people including children were killed and the casualties may exceed more than 50 people,” U Nay Zin Latt, a former legislator for the region, told the Irrawaddy news website.
The United Nations, Germany and the United States have condemned the attack, one of the deadliest since the military toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in a coup in February 2021.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for those responsible to be held accountable, and for those wounded to be allowed urgent medical treatment and access to assistance.
UN Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said he was “horrified” by the attack, condemning the military’s “blatant disregard for rules of international law” that call for the protection of civilians.
“There are reasonable grounds to believe that the military and its affiliated militias are responsible for an extremely broad range of human rights violations and abuses since 1 February 2021, some of which may constitute crimes against humanity and war crimes,” Turk added.