HRW accuses Myanmar military of war crime

ALBAWABA - Human Right Watch (HRW) accused the Myanmar military of using a "vacuum bomb" in an attack on an opposition village last month.

HRW reported citing witnesses, a Myanmar military jet dropped at least one munition, which exploded amid the crowd gathering around the building at around 7:30 a.m. in the village of Pa Zi Gyi.

Another added that a helicopter gunship followed and fired cannons, grenades, and rockets into people who were trying to escape attacks.

The junta air raid on the village on April 11 killed over 160 people, including children, the human rights organization said.

HRW reportedly said that the Myanmar junta used a "thermobaric" munition during the attack which the organization described as an "apparent war crime."

Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, noted: "The Myanmar military’s use of a weapon designed to cause maximum deaths on an area crowded with civilians shows flagrant disregard for human life."

On April 11, residents gathered in the village shortly before the airstrike to open an opposition-controlled administrative office.

Myanmar junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun confirmed the attack on the village.

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