The UN’s Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) has called for eyewitness accounts and other evidence concerning a Myanmar military airstrike that killed at least 50 people near a crowded market in Kyauktaw, Rakhine State, on Sept. 28.

The strike hit the area around India Market and the Kacchapanadi Bridge, killing vendors, shoppers, passers-by and cargo workers, according to the IIMM. Women and children were among those killed and injured. Local sources have also reported that a pregnant woman and her newborn were among the dead. The death toll has risen to 50, with at least 58 others injured, according to reports from the area. 

The IIMM said it is investigating allegations of serious international crimes committed during the armed conflict in Rakhine. It said credible evidence points to a significant increase since 2025 in airstrikes and artillery attacks on civilians, including attacks affecting schools, hospitals, markets and monasteries.

The mechanism warned that deliberately targeting civilians, or launching attacks without taking adequate measures to avoid civilian harm, could amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity. It also said attacks on markets and other places essential to civilian livelihoods can severely disrupt access to food and, if used as a method of starving civilians during conflict, may constitute a crime.

According to Khit Thit Media, the Kyauktaw attack caused extensive damage to the India Market, nearby buildings, shops and the Kacchapanadi Bridge, while rescue workers struggled to recover and identify victims from the scene.

The IIMM is seeking photographs, videos and other records showing the casualties and damage, as well as information about the aircraft involved, the airbase from which it operated, weapons and remnants recovered from the site, and the pilots, commanders and other officials who may have been involved in the attack.

The mechanism is also seeking first-hand information that could help establish how the attack was planned and carried out. It said such evidence could be important in determining individual responsibility for alleged international crimes.

The IIMM has urged witnesses and people with direct knowledge of the attack to share information securely through Signal at +41 76 691 12 08, with disappearing messages enabled, or through its secure Proton Mail address, It has stressed that people should contact the mechanism only when it is safe to do so and that the security of those providing information remains a priority. 

The Sept. 28 attack was one of the deadliest reported airstrikes in Rakhine in recent years. The Arakan Army and local rescue officials said the strike hit the busy commercial area around midday, while Myanmar’s military has not publicly commented on the incident. 

BOB Post