Brutal Airstrike by Junta Forces on Mon State Monastery Leaves Trail of Death and Destruction

April 19, 2025

At around 11:00 AM today, April 19, 2025, junta forces launched an airstrike on a monastery in Minn Saw village, located in Bilin Township, Thaton District, Mon State. According to local sources, the bombing killed two civilians and seriously injured two novice monks.

“It happened at about 11:11 AM. Junta aircraft dropped bombs while the monks and volunteers were preparing the midday meal at the monastery,” said a local villager in his 40s. “Two female laypeople who were helping prepare the meal were hit by bomb shrapnel and died instantly. One senior novice and a younger novice were also badly injured. The monastery building itself was severely damaged. The entire village had to flee in panic, unsure when the next strike might come. Only a few men stayed behind to protect the village.”

Residents estimate that the bombs dropped were likely 500-pound class, though this has not yet been confirmed by military experts. The impact was so powerful that the bodies of the two deceased women were reportedly torn apart.

One of the injured novices is said to be in critical condition, raising concerns for his survival.

“They’ve bombed our Minn Saw village repeatedly. This time, the damage is much worse,” said a villager who identified himself as Saw Nwe. “It’s been almost two school years now that our children haven’t been able to attend classes due to the fear of more attacks.”

Minn Saw is a Karen ethnic village in Bilin Township under the administrative area of the Karen National Union (KNU), Brigade No. 1. Since the military coup more than four years ago, the village has frequently come under attack from the junta’s indiscriminate shelling and airstrikes.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News