Airstrike Destroys Mrauk U Hospital in Rakhine, Dozens Injured

More than 70 people suffered injuries after a military aircraft dropped bombs on a hospital in Rakhine State, according to officials from the Arakan Army. The strike hit Mrauk U General Hospital late Wednesday, leaving the facility completely destroyed and adding new shock to a region already struggling with war and limited access to healthcare.

Hospital Hit Without Warning

Khine Thu Kha, the spokesman for the Arakan Army (AA), confirmed the attack. He said the bombs landed directly on the hospital, which caused the unusually high number of casualties.

“The Mrauk U General Hospital was destroyed,” he told Reuters. “The high number of casualties occurred because the hospital took a direct hit.”

The junta did not answer calls for comment.

Background of the Conflict

Myanmar has faced nonstop conflict since the military seized power in February 2021, overthrowing the elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
The coup triggered nationwide protests and the formation of dozens of resistance groups, many of which later joined forces with long-established ethnic armed organizations.

The Arakan Army is one of the strongest ethnic armed groups in Myanmar. Its presence in Rakhine State has grown rapidly over the last few years. After a ceasefire collapsed in 2023, the AA pushed the military out of most parts of the state.

Hospital Overwhelmed Before the Strike

An aid worker, Wai Hun Aung, said the 300-bed hospital was already full at the time of the attack. He explained that many medical facilities in Rakhine had shut down because of ongoing battles, leaving Mrauk U General Hospital as one of the few places where people could still receive care.

On Thursday morning, he visited the site and described the scene as total devastation. The building’s roof had collapsed, pillars were broken, and beams lay scattered across the ground. Body bags and injured victims were placed outside as rescue teams tried to recover as many people as possible.

He also shared photos of the destroyed facility on social media, though Reuters could not immediately verify them.

“The remaining patients have been moved to a safe location,” he said.

Witness: “The Hospital Was on Fire”

A 23-year-old resident of Mrauk U said he ran toward the hospital after hearing loud explosions on Wednesday night.

“When I arrived, the hospital was on fire,” he said. “I saw many bodies lying around and many injured people.”
He requested anonymity for security reasons.

Airstrikes Increasing Across Myanmar

Myanmar’s military is the only group in the country with an air force. It has increasingly relied on airstrikes to target rebel-held areas as its ground forces face pressure on multiple fronts.

From January to late November this year, the junta carried out 2,165 airstrikes, according to data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).
This is significantly higher than the 1,716 airstrikes recorded in all of 2024, showing a dramatic rise in the use of aerial attacks.

Arakan Army Gains Control of Rakhine

Since the collapse of the 2023 ceasefire, the Arakan Army has taken control of 14 out of Rakhine’s 17 townships, according to a report by the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute.
The territory now under AA control is larger than the entire country of Belgium.

Mrauk U township has been under AA administration since last year. According to AA spokesman Khine Thu Kha, there had been no recent fighting around the hospital before the airstrike.

A Region Under Pressure

The attack adds another challenge for communities in Rakhine, where conflict, displacement, and a lack of medical services have created a deep humanitarian crisis. Many hospitals have stopped operating because of shortages of medicine, staff, and electricity.
As a result, thousands of civilians depend on the few remaining medical centers — making the destruction of Mrauk U General Hospital even more devastating.

Aid groups say they worry about the long-term impact of losing one of the region’s largest hospitals. Medical volunteers now face the difficult task of relocating patients, finding temporary treatment areas, and protecting the injured from further attacks.

Local Reactions

Residents expressed fear that more airstrikes may follow, even in areas without active fighting. Some said they now avoid gathering in large buildings, worried that the military might target civilian structures again.

The airstrike has also angered many in Rakhine, who see it as an attack on defenseless patients. Social media posts from the region show strong condemnation and calls for international attention.

What Happens Next?

The Arakan Army continues to expand its control over northern and central Rakhine. Analysts say the conflict will likely intensify as the junta attempts to regain territory through air power, especially as its ground forces grow weaker.

For now, Mrauk U residents are mourning the loss of a major hospital and trying to support the many victims still recovering from the strike.