Junta airstrike hits village school in Chin State, kills two children

Two schoolchildren were killed on Monday morning when the junta air force bombed a village school outside the Chin State capital of Hakha, Chin resistance fighters said. The air force initiated the strike on the school in Vanha village, located east of Hakha and west of Gangaw Township, Magway Region, at around 10am on Monday while children were doing chores on the school compound. “The children were doing the school cleaning work at around 10:30 this morning when the bombs were dropped,” said Salai Htet Ni, spokesperson for the Chin National Army/Chin National Front (CNA/CNF) on Monday. “Two young children were killed. A female teacher and a young child were also injured.” The slain children were between five and seven years old. A member of the Chinland Defense Force of Hakha (CDF-Hakha) confirmed the general events of the attack, but was not aware of the number of casualties. “There is a school in the village. Today, instead of classes, they were outside doing some cleaning when the airstrike occurred,” he said. “It’s not a place where resistance forces are based. It’s quite far from Hakha.” The two-storey school building and some classrooms in surrounding auxiliary buildings were also reportedly damaged in the bombing. Vanha, a village of about 70 households, is around 30 miles from Hakha. Locals confirmed the attack appeared to be entirely unprovoked, as there had been no recent fighting in the area and no Chin resistance forces were operating there. Damage to the Vanha village school (Photo: Still image from footage supplied by The Chinland Information) This is the second airstrike targeting a school in recent weeks in Chin State. Another school in Mindat Township was targeted by a junta airstrike, killing three students and a disabled local woman, on October 8. Anti-junta armed groups and resistance forces control six of Chin State’s nine townships, leaving only Hakha, Thantlang, and Tedim under junta control. The military regime is planning to hold a general election this December and January, including in Hakha and Tedim townships. The junta has not scheduled elections in Thantlang, which has been left virtually deserted by its inhabitants due to the intensity of fighting in the area. With the junta’s recent airstrikes targeting Mindat, Matupi, and Hakha townships, schools in Chin State may need to close temporarily for safety, according to Salai Htet Ni. “Since the enemy is targeting civilians, there will definitely be obstacles to opening schools safely. They will probably have to be closed for now,” he said. Schools are already temporarily closed in Mindat Township since last Friday by order of the township’s anti-junta People’s Administration. Salai Htet Ni is urging civilians to remain vigilant about the danger of airstrikes, which may increase as the junta tries to strengthen security for the upcoming elections.

Junta airstrike hits village school in Chin State, kills two children

Two pupils between five and seven years old died in the aerial attack, which occurred around 30 miles east of the state capital

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