On the evening of October 6, 2025, tragedy struck the central Sagaing region of Myanmar. As villagers gathered to celebrate the end of Buddhist Lent and to peacefully protest against the military government, a motorised paraglider swooped overhead and dropped two bombs onto the crowd. The attack, which took place at the primary school compound in Bon To village, left at least 24 people dead and more than 50 wounded, according to multiple eyewitnesses, resistance group members, and news reports from sources including BBC Burmese, Australian Associated Press, and The Associated Press.
The victims included villagers, children, political activists, and members of local armed anti-military groups. Many had come together not just for the oil lamp lighting ceremony marking the Buddhist festival, but also to call for the release of political prisoners—including the ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been imprisoned since the military coup of February 2021. The gathering was a moment of both spiritual significance and political defiance, intended as a peaceful protest against the junta's military conscription and the looming national election, which critics argue will be neither free nor fair.
According to BBC Burmese, the attack lasted just seven minutes. The paramotor—what locals call these motorised paragliders—appeared suddenly, catching the crowd off guard despite efforts to disperse after receiving warnings. Alerts had been sent out through a network of mobile phones and walkie-talkies, tracking the paraglider from the army's northwestern command in Monywa, roughly 25 kilometers north of Bon To. Yet, as one resistance fighter told The Associated Press, "It all happened in seven minutes." He added that he was injured in the explosion, while others near him were killed. Another resident, who helped with rescue efforts, described the chaos and horror of the aftermath. Many bodies were difficult to identify, and children were among the dead. "Children were completely torn apart," a woman who helped organize the event told AFP, recalling the funerals the following day and the grim task of "collecting body parts."
The attack did not end there. Both witnesses and local activists reported that the paraglider returned around 11 p.m., dropping two more bombs. Fortunately, these later explosives did not cause additional casualties, but the fear and trauma lingered throughout the night.
This strike is just one in a series of increasingly frequent and deadly air attacks carried out by Myanmar's military since the 2021 coup. The civil war that erupted after the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions. The Sagaing region, where Bon To is located—about 90 kilometers west of Mandalay, the country's second-largest city—has been a key battleground. Much of it is controlled by volunteer militias known as the People's Defence Force (PDF), who also run local administrations and coordinate resistance efforts.
In recent months, the military has intensified its campaign against resistance groups and civilian populations alike. According to BBC Burmese, the army has augmented its air force with new drones from China and has received technical assistance from Russia. This influx of technology has allowed the junta to regain ground lost over the past two years, reversing some of the territorial gains made by opposition forces. Beijing has also pressured rebels along its border with Myanmar to stop supplying weapons to anti-junta groups, further tipping the balance in the military's favor.
International sanctions targeting Myanmar's military rulers have made it harder for them to procure aircraft and jet fuel, but the recent adoption of low-tech motorised paragliders has offered a grim workaround. As reported by Australian Associated Press, the military's increased reliance on these paragliders since late last year is believed to be, at least in part, a cost-saving measure. Resistance forces, for their part, lack effective defenses against any kind of air attacks, leaving civilians especially vulnerable.
Human rights organizations have condemned the attack in the strongest terms. Amnesty International called Monday night's events "a gruesome wake-up call that civilians in Myanmar need urgent protection." Joe Freeman, Amnesty International's Myanmar researcher, urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)—which is due to convene later this month—to "increase pressure on the junta and revise an approach that has failed the Myanmar people for almost five years." The organization also highlighted a "disturbing trend" of the junta using motorised paragliders to attack communities, a tactic that has become more common as traditional military resources dwindle.
Since the coup in 2021, more than 7,300 people are estimated to have been killed by security forces, according to figures compiled by non-governmental organizations. The violence has not only shattered families and communities but also deeply undermined any prospects for peace or reconciliation. The upcoming general elections scheduled for December 2025 are viewed by many as little more than an attempt by the junta to legitimize its rule. With many opposition parties banned and voting expected to occur only in areas under military control, few believe the polls will reflect the will of the people.
The horror of the Bon To attack has resonated far beyond the immediate community. Survivors and witnesses have recounted the chaos and heartbreak of that night, with many still searching for missing loved ones or tending to the wounded. The psychological scars are likely to persist long after the physical wounds have healed. In the words of a local resident who spoke to The Associated Press, the attack was "sickening" and has left the village reeling.
As Myanmar's civil war grinds on, the international community faces growing pressure to act. The continued flow of military technology and support from China and Russia has complicated efforts to isolate the junta, while regional diplomacy has so far failed to bring about meaningful change. For the people of Bon To and countless other affected communities, the need for urgent protection and humanitarian aid has never been more acute.
With the military showing no signs of relenting and resistance forces struggling to defend against increasingly sophisticated aerial attacks, the prospects for peace remain bleak. Yet, in the face of devastating loss, communities across Myanmar continue to gather, protest, and hope for a future free from violence and oppression.