At least three Buddhist monks were killed and others wounded after the military junta carried out airstrikes on Buddhist monasteries in Myanmar’s Sagaing Region, according to local independent media reports, during the annual Thingyan water festival, the traditional Buddhist New Year. The attacks, which continued throughout the four-day new year period from 13–16 April, struck monastic compounds also damaging religious buildings.
The strikes occurred during a time normally devoted to merit-making, reflection, and communal observance. Thingyan marks a period of transition to the lunar new year in Myanmar’s Theravada Buddhist tradition. Laypeople typically visit monasteries, offer alms, and engage in acts of generosity and renewal.
The reported killings form part of a broader pattern of escalating aerial and ground attacks by the military since the 2021 coup, particularly in central regions such as Sagaing, where resistance to military rule has been strong. Religious sites, including Buddhist monasteries that often shelter displaced civilians, have increasingly been affected by the conflict.
According to local sources, the airstrikes hit monasteries in Shwebo Township and surrounding areas during the height of the festival. Residents said the attacks continued despite the presence of civilians and Buddhist practitioners seeking refuge.
Separate reports from the same period indicated that air and ground offensives had displaced thousands of civilians across Sagaing Region during Thingyan, with additional casualties reported in nearby townships.
In Pale Township, three civilians were reported to have been tortured, killed, and buried behind a monastery. Related assaults in Yinmabin Township reportedly killed a 14-year-old girl and displaced more than 10,000 people.
Monasteries in Myanmar serve not only as centers of spiritual practice but also as community hubs and sanctuaries in times of crisis. Since the 2021 coup and the outbreak of civil conflict, many have housed villagers fleeing violence, increasingly their exposure to military operations.
The killing of monks, who are widely regarded as custodians of the Dhamma, during a sacred festival underscores the deepening toll of the conflict on the spiritual and social fabric of Myanmar.
Myanmar’s military declared a state of emergency on 1 February 2021, after detaining President Win Myint, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, and other members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party. The coup d’état took place hours before the country’s new parliament was due to convene following a general election in November 2020, in which the NLD secured a decisive victory.
Since then, the military-led State Administration Council has sought to consolidate power through violent crackdowns on protests and dissent held in defiance of military-led suppression. Even the country’s venerated Buddhist monastic sangha have found themselves in the military’s crosshairs.*
Thousands have died and millions have been displaced since the coup. The United Nations estimates as much as 40 per cent of the region’s population now requires humanitarian assistance as a result of the ongoing conflict.
Despite years of violent suppression by government forces, the junta continues to face widespread public opposition. Crackdowns on peaceful protest movements have resulted in a growing number of communities turning to armed resistance, often with support from existing ethnic militia groups. Sagaing Region has been a key conflict area in the civil war, with large parts controlled by volunteer militias.
The Myanmar- and Thailand-based human rights organization Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) reported that as of 10 April, a total of 7,972 people, including 1,055 children, were confirmed to have been killed by the junta in military engagements against the pro-democracy movement. The AAPP noted that the figures represented only deaths that it could independently verify and that the actual number was likely to be significantly higher. A total of 30,870 people were known to have been arrested by the junta, and 176 people had been sentenced to death—some in absentia, the AAPP said.
Theravada Buddhism has been the official state religion of Myanmar since 1961, with 91.3 per cent of Myanmar’s population identifying as Buddhists, according to census data for 2024. Christians make up 4.6 per cent, Muslims 3.3 per cent, and Hindus 0.6 per cent, with tribal and other religions (including no religious affiliation) comprising 0.2 per cent.
* Buddhist Monastics Targeted in Ongoing Crackdown by Myanmar’s Military Junta (BDG) and Myanmar Junta Drops Plan to Place Buddhist Monks on Military Roadblocks (BDG)
See more
Three monks dead as junta bombs monasteries during Myanmar’s Buddhist New Year (Myanmar Now)
Three civilians killed by airstrikes in Sagaing Region this month (DVB)
The lives of civilians displaced by war during the Thingyan festival (MoeMaKa)
Civilian deaths continue from airstrikes as the conflict deepens (MoeMaKa)
Daily Briefing in Relation to the Military Coup (Assistance Association for Political Prisoners)
Related news reports from BDG
Engaged Buddhism: INEB Shares Final Report on Humanitarian Aid Program for 2025 Myanmar Earthquake
World Court Hears Anti-Rohingya Propaganda from Extremist Buddhist Monk in Landmark Genocide Case Against Myanmar
At least 32 Killed, 50 Injured During Myanmar Military Strike on Buddhist Festival
Engaged Buddhism Special Report: Ven. Pomnyun Sunim and INEB Conduct Field Survey in Earthquake-Hit Areas of Myanmar
Myanmar Junta to Demolish Buddhist Monasteries Under Pretext of “Archaeological Excavations”
Engaged Buddhism: JTS Volunteers Bring Compassion and Relief to Myanmar Refugees in Northern Thailand
Related features from BDG
A Brief History of Buddhism in Myanmar From the Buddha Era to Present Times
