Manila, serving as this year’s ASEAN chair, has voiced grave concern over an airstrike in Myanmar’s Rakhine state that left dozens dead and wounded, while signaling its willingness to help coordinate the regional bloc’s response.

In an emailed statement on Saturday (Oct 3), Ana Marie Hernando, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Affairs, said the Philippines is “closely monitoring developments” and is troubled by the attack, which brought “destruction, loss of lives and injuries to those affected.”

The strike, carried out on Monday (Sep 28) in the town of Kyauktaw, killed 50 people and injured many others, according to the report. It stands as Rakhine’s deadliest such attack since a hospital was bombed in December.

As ASEAN chair, Manila emphasized that it remains attentive to the positions of all member states and will keep following the bloc’s consensus-driven way of working. The Philippines also said it is prepared to help convene discussions within ASEAN on how to support Myanmar, consistent with the shared goal of a resolution that is “Myanmar-owned and led.”

Myanmar has been mired in a nationwide civil war since the 2021 coup, with an alliance of armed groups—among them the Arakan Army—battling the military. The conflict has claimed roughly 100,000 lives and forced more than 3.5 million people from their homes in the impoverished Southeast Asian country.

Source: Reuters/js