Myanmar junta forces accused of bombing detention sites of captured soldiers: Myanmar Witness report

Photo: Scene after an airstrike in Ann Township, Rakhine State Mizzima Some of the Myanmar junta forces’ airstrikes in recent years have surprised analysts. This is because they appear to have targeted or inadvertently caught their own captured soldiers or detainees in the crossfire. A report by Myanmar Witness, a non-governmental organisation, has documented seven instances where the Myanmar military (MAF) allegedly attacked sites detaining captured soldiers between October 2024 and March 2026. All of these incidents are estimated to have resulted in the deaths or injuries of over 200 detainees and other individuals. The report, titled “Airstrikes on detention sites of captured soldiers, documenting attacks on facilities holding government forces in Myanmar,” combines satellite imagery, forensic assessments, geolocation, chronolocation, and user-generated content to examine attacks on detention sites in Rakhine, Shan, and Kayah states. It is not explicitly stated in the report whether the Myanmar military was aware of the presence of soldiers or detainees at the targeted locations, or if they considered them acceptable collateral damage. Myanmar Witness investigated seven locations where it is alleged that anti-junta forces manage and detain captured Myanmar military personnel. The organisation stresses that it uses the term “detainees” rather than “prisoners of war” because Myanmar’s conflict is legally classified as an international armed conflict (NIAC). However, all parties have a responsibility under Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions to treat those no longer participating in hostilities humanely and refrain from violence against them. The report’s most detailed investigation focuses on an alleged airstrike on March 8, 2026, in Ann Township, Rakhine State. According to the Arakan Army (AA), Myanmar military aircraft bombed a camp holding captured soldiers, killing 116 people, including surrendered soldiers and their family members. Myanmar Witness analysed photos and videos showing severe damage, burning buildings, and numerous fatalities. Investigators found that some of the deceased and injured had leg shackles on, and were able to identify detention rooms with bars within the compound, providing strong evidence that captured soldiers were held there. The organisation was able to independently geolocate the camp near the Dar Let stream in Ann Township using satellite imagery, confirming it as a remote detention facility over 1 kilometre from nearby villages. Satellite data from NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), Planet Labs imagery showing a large plume of dust during the time of the attack, and Sentinel-2 satellite imagery documenting changes to the ground before and after the incident all support the timeline of the attack occurring on March 8, 2026. While the date of the incident was confirmed, Myanmar Witness stated that the available evidence was not sufficient for investigators to independently confirm that the destruction was solely caused by an airstrike. Forensic analysis of imagery from the Ann Township site revealed numerous burnt human bodies, extensive burn patterns, and severe injuries among survivors. Some injured detainees appeared to still be wearing leg shackles while receiving medical treatment. The report also links the detention facility to the AA’s capture of the Myanmar military’s Western Command in December 2024. A video released after the attack shows Major General Than Tun, a high-ranking officer captured during the operation, explaining the post-bombing situation while wearing leg shackles. Based on available evidence, Myanmar Witness concludes that it is highly probable the building was used as a detention facility. In addition to the Ann Township incident, Myanmar Witness documented attacks on six other alleged detention sites. These include a site in Pauktaw Township where approximately 20 people were reportedly killed and 15 injured on September 8, 2024; a former Border Guard Police outpost seized by the AA the following day in Maungdaw Township, where over 50 detainees and civilians were reportedly killed; a site in Mrauk U Township in January 2025, where 28 people were killed and 25 injured; a site in Kyauktaw Township in January 2026, where 21 detainees and their family members were killed and 30 injured; the Hoke Kho labour camp in Naungcho Township, Shan State, in October 2024, where 12 people were killed and around 60 injured; and Prison No. 2 in Mae Soe Township, Kayah State, in March 2026, where five people, including women and children, were reportedly killed. Investigators were able to geolocate five of the seven detention sites with a high degree of confidence and identify changes in the ground from satellite imagery consistent with the dates of the attacks. However, the user-generated content...