The Myanmar Mechanism calls for information about deadly aerial attack on Rakhine school
Geneva, 16 September 2025 – The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar is calling for all those who witnessed or have direct information about an airstrike on a boarding school complex in Thayat Tabin village, Kyauktaw Township in Rakhine State, to share their evidence. The attack on 12 September 2025 reportedly killed at least 22 people, mostly students, and injured at least 20 more.
This tragic incident is one of the deadliest attacks on schools since the military takeover in February 2021. It compounds the suffering of civilians in Rakhine State where people of all ethnicities have been subjected to attacks, killings, displacement, and starvation.
Airstrikes that are indiscriminate or which target civilians may be war crimes or crimes against humanity. Attacks against children are particularly heinous, and the Mechanism prioritizes their investigation.
This airstrike follows dozens of attacks on schools which have caused the death and injury of children, including in Ye-U District, Sagaing Region (September 2022); Matupi Township, Chin State (November 2023); Demoso Township, Kayah State (February 2024); Pekon Township, in the border area of Shan and Kayah States (September 2024); Ponnagyun Township, Rakhine State (December 2024) and Oe Htein Kwin village, Sagaing region (May 2025).
The Mechanism is looking for relevant information on this attack or any other airstrike, such as:
photographs or videos of injuries, damage, aircraft and weapons;
information about victims;
information about aircraft and weapons that were used; and
information about the pilots involved and the orders that were given.
Anyone with information to share should please contact the Mechanism on Signal +41 76 691 12 08. Turn on disappearing messages in Signal so that the messages in the chat are automatically deleted. The Mechanism urges people to prioritize their safety and to only make contact when it is safe to do so.
The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM or Mechanism) was created by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2018 to collect and analyse evidence of the most serious international crimes and other violations of international law committed in Myanmar since 2011. It aims to facilitate justice and accountability by preserving and organizing this evidence and preparing analysis that can be used by authorities to prosecute individuals in national, regional and international courts.
For more information visit iimm.un.org or contact iimm@un.org
