Geopolitical Tensions Rise as Myanmar Faces Civil Conflict

Dozens have been killed in a military strike on a hospital in Myanmar's western Rakhine state. According to aid worker Wai Hun Aung, 31 deaths have been confirmed and 68 individuals are reported injured following the attack on Mrauk U General Hospital.

The hospital was struck late on Wednesday by bombs dropped from a military aircraft, as stated by Khine Thu Kha, a spokesperson for the Arakan Army, which is engaged in conflict with the ruling junta. The hospital was completely destroyed, resulting in high casualties as it was overflowing with patients at the time of the strike.

Eyewitnesses described a scene of devastation, with many bodies lying around and reports of ongoing violence against civilians. The United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk condemned the attack, suggesting it may constitute a war crime and called for an investigation.

The U.S. State Department characterized the reports as disturbing and urged the military government to halt violence against civilians. The junta has intensified airstrikes since the onset of Myanmar's civil war following the coup in 2021 that ousted the civilian government.

The military is preparing for elections on December 28, which have been widely criticized by international monitors, while the Arakan Army controls most of Rakhine state and has vowed to block the elections in areas they dominate.

The Arakan Army has emerged as a significant opposition force amid the ongoing conflict, though it has faced accusations of atrocities against the Rohingya ethnic minority. The civil conflict continues to generate a humanitarian crisis, drawing international attention and condemnation.