Paraglider Bombing Kills 24 at Myanmar’s Thadingyut Festival

At least 24 civilians were killed and 47 injured when Myanmar’s military dropped two bombs from a motorised paraglider on a crowd gathered for the Thadingyut Festival in Chaung U township, Sagaing Region on the evening of 6 October 2025. The strike, confirmed by a spokesperson for the National Unity Government (NUG), came during a candle‑lit vigil that also served as a protest against the State Administration Council (SAC) junta.

Background of the Conflict

Since the military coup on 1 February 2021, Myanmar has been mired in a civil war that has claimed over 5,400 civilian lives, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) estimates 2.6 million internally displaced persons and roughly one million refugees across the border. Resistance groups, ethnic militias, and the NUG have challenged the junta’s authority, while the SAC, led by Min Aung Hlaing, commander‑in‑chief of the Myanmar military, has relied on brute force to retain control.

The junta’s air power has long been a hallmark of its strategy, employing helicopters and fixed‑wing aircraft. However, a shift toward low‑altitude, hard‑to‑detect platforms emerged in late 2024, when the military began experimenting with motorised paragliders to strike remote villages where anti‑aircraft weapons make conventional flights risky.

The Paraglider Attack in Chaung U

On Monday evening, a motorised paraglider hovered just above the village square of Chaung U township. Two improvised explosive devices were released, striking a gathering of roughly 100 people who were celebrating the conclusion of Buddhist Lent. Witnesses described the blast as a deafening roar followed by a plume of smoke that lit up the night sky.

BBC Southeast Asia correspondent Jonathan Head reported that the tactic is "relatively new" but underscores the junta’s willingness to adapt its arsenal. video evidence, verified by BBC News teams, showed the exact moment the bombs were dropped, aligning with the NUG’s claim that the attack targeted civilians, not combatants.

The Thadingyut Festival is one of Myanmar’s most beloved Buddhist holidays, marking the end of the three‑month fasting period. Families light candles, share meals, and perform merit‑making rites. The decision to bomb a celebration signaled a chilling message: no place, even sacred ones, is safe from the junta’s reach.

Reactions from Government and International Community

The SAC has yet to issue a direct statement about the attack. In a routine press briefing on 5 October 2025, SAC spokesperson Zaw Min Tun framed the operation as "action against terrorist elements who disrupt public order," a vague justification that drew immediate skepticism.

International condemnation was swift. U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller denounced the strike on 7 October and announced an additional $50 million in humanitarian aid for displaced Myanmar families. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Myanmar, Tom Andrews, labeled the bombing a potential war crime, urging the International Criminal Court to open a formal investigation.

ASEAN scheduled an emergency summit for 10 October, called by Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, to deliberate a coordinated response. Though ASEAN’s consensus‑based approach often weakens decisive action, the meeting signals heightened regional concern over the junta’s escalating violence.

Humanitarian Impact on the Ground

The 47 wounded were rushed to makeshift clinics run by NUG volunteers in nearby Monywa township. Supplies are critically low; many patients lack proper analgesics and antibiotics. Children and elderly victims are receiving care in cramped rooms where electricity flickers intermittently.

Humanitarian organisations report that access to Sagaing’s rural districts remains severely restricted. Checkpoints, roadblocks, and intermittent internet shutdowns hamper aid delivery, leaving families to rely on community networks for food and medical assistance.

Beyond the immediate casualties, the attack has deepened fear among civilians. Residents of Chaung U now hesitate to gather for even the most modest communal events, fearing that a sky‑borne weapon could appear at any moment.

Implications for the Upcoming Election

The junta has announced a national election for 28 December 2025, a vote that the NUG and most opposition groups deem illegitimate because large swathes of the country remain under rebel control. By intensifying aerial bombardments in the weeks leading up to the ballot, the SAC appears to be attempting to intimidate dissenters and showcase its “security‑first” narrative.

Analysts at the International Crisis Group suggest that the parliament‑style election could be used by the junta to claim a veneer of democratic legitimacy, even as they continue to suppress opposition through force. The recent use of paragliders, a tactic that allows attacks in otherwise inaccessible terrain, may foreshadow a broader campaign to target voting centres in rebel‑held areas.

Meanwhile, the Three Brotherhood Alliance – composed of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, Ta’ang National Liberation Army, and Arakan Army – announced a coordinated offensive beginning 15 October, targeting SAC logistics hubs. This escalation hints at an increasingly volatile pre‑election environment that could spiral into wider conflict.

Key Facts

• Date of attack: 6 October 2025, evening
• Location: Chaung U township, Sagaing Region
• Civilians killed: 24; wounded: 47
• Method: Two bombs dropped from a motorised paraglider
• Target: Crowd celebrating the Thadingyut Festival and holding a candle‑lit vigil

What's Next?

Humanitarian agencies are mobilising additional supplies, while diplomatic channels press for an ASEAN‑led ceasefire before the December vote. The NUG has vowed to document the attack as evidence for future accountability proceedings. As the junta continues to test unconventional aerial tactics, observers warn that civilians could become even more vulnerable in the months ahead.