The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said four children were among the at least 35 people killed in a massacre of civilians in Myanmar’s eastern Kayah state, allegedly perpetrated by the armed forces.
“Two 17-year-old boys, a teenage girl and a child of approximately 5-6 years of age, of indeterminate gender” were killed in the attack, the UN agency said in a statement on Tuesday, citing “credible reports.”
“UNICEF strongly condemns this attack on civilians, children, and humanitarian workers,” said Debora Comini, Unicef’s regional director for East Asia and the Pacific.
“The protection of civilians, and particularly children and humanitarian workers, must be treated as a priority during times of conflict, in accordance with international humanitarian law and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Myanmar is a signatory,” she added, demanding “urgent action to investigate this deplorable incident and to hold those responsible to account.”
“The two Save the Children staff members, whose deaths were confirmed today, were killed while returning to Save the Children’s Loikaw office after responding to humanitarian needs in a nearby community, “the UN agency said.
Save The Children had also confirmed on Tuesday that two of its humanitarian workers, who it had previously reported missing, were found among the victims of the attack.
Save the Children said: The two staff were both new fathers who were passionate about educating children. One was 32, with a 10-month-old son, and had worked at Save the Children for two years, training teachers. The other, 28, with a three-month-old daughter, joined the charity six years ago. They are not being identified for security reasons.
The men were on their way back to their office after working on a humanitarian response in a nearby community when they were caught up in the attack. The military forced people from their cars, arrested some, killed many and burnt the bodies.
“This news is absolutely horrifying. Violence against innocent civilians including aid workers is intolerable, and this senseless attack is a breach of International Humanitarian Law,” said Inger Ashing, chief executive of Save the Children.
“We are shaken by the violence carried out against civilians and our staff, who are dedicated humanitarians, supporting millions of children in need across Myanmar,” it added.
United States’ Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, on Tuesday night joined the international condemnation of the attack and the military campaign deployed in the neighboring state of Karen, where the army has reportedly used airstrikes against civilian populations.
“The United States condemns the attacks committed by the Burmese military in Kayah and Karen States, which killed at least 35 innocent people,” Blinken wrote on Twitter.
“We support efforts, including the @UN Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, to promote accountability for those responsible.”
Myanmar has spiraled into crisis and further violence since the military-led by Min Aung Hlaing seized power in the Feb. 1 coup that ousted the democratic government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
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