标签： Asia

BANGKOK (AP) — A military airstrike conducted by Myanmar’s armed forces has resulted in the deaths of 21 civilians and left 28 wounded in Hteelin village, Kachin state, according to reports from ethnic rebel groups and local media outlets. The attack occurred Thursday afternoon in a region where displaced persons had sought refuge from ongoing conflict.

Colonel Naw Bu, spokesperson for the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), confirmed that a jet fighter targeted a compound where mourners were conducting prayer services for the deceased. The strike also hit a displacement camp, educational facility, and local marketplace. Approximately 500 civilians, including internally displaced residents, were present in the village during the bombardment. Among the injured victims is an infant, with several individuals reported in critical condition.

The incident coincides with scheduled electoral activities in the northern township of Bhamo, where the final phase of Myanmar’s military-organized election process is set to occur this weekend. Independent verification remains challenging due to widespread internet blackouts and cellular service disruptions throughout the region. Kachin-based media organizations have circulated photographic and video evidence depicting casualties and structural damage resulting from the attack.

Myanmar has experienced prolonged political instability since the February 2021 military coup that ousted the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. Subsequent suppression of peaceful protests prompted armed resistance movements, with current estimates indicating over 7,700 fatalities resulting from security force operations.

The military administration has intensified aerial campaigns against pro-democracy forces and ethnic minority guerrilla groups, including the KIA, which maintains loose alliances with various resistance militias. Despite election preparations in 61 townships nationwide, KIA representatives assert that voting in Bhamo remains impossible due to their control over the urban center.

International observers and critics have denounced the three-stage electoral process as fundamentally flawed, citing the exclusion of major political parties and systematic suppression of dissent nearly five years after military seizure of power.

A devastating fire that engulfed a shopping mall in Karachi has resulted in a catastrophic death toll of 67 individuals, according to an official statement from local government authorities on Friday. The tragedy at Gul Plaza represents the most lethal fire incident in Pakistan’s largest metropolis since the 2012 industrial inferno that claimed over 260 lives.

Municipal officials reported that forensic teams have completed post-mortem examinations for all recovered victims, with DNA analysis currently underway to facilitate identification of the deceased. The comprehensive identification process reflects the severe impact of the blaze on victims and families.

This catastrophe has reignited serious concerns about fire safety protocols and emergency preparedness in Pakistan’s urban centers. The incident marks the most significant loss of life from fire in Karachi in fourteen years, drawing painful parallels to previous industrial accidents that exposed similar safety deficiencies.

Emergency response teams worked through the night battling the intense flames and conducting rescue operations. The rapid spread of fire through the commercial structure trapped numerous shoppers and employees, creating challenges for evacuation efforts.

The tragedy has prompted calls for immediate review of fire safety regulations and building code enforcement across Pakistani cities, particularly in densely populated commercial districts where such disasters could have devastating consequences.

Indonesian search teams have confirmed the recovery of all ten victims from the wreckage of a crashed surveillance aircraft in South Sulawesi province. The ATR 42-500 turboprop, operated by Indonesia Air Transport (IAT), vanished from radar contact last Saturday during a fisheries monitoring mission for the nation’s Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry.

The aircraft carried seven crew members and three ministry personnel when it disappeared near the Maros region approximately 1,500 kilometers northeast of Jakarta. After days of intensive search operations, rescue personnel located the scattered wreckage across the challenging terrain of Mount Bulusaraung.

Andi Sultan, a visibly emotional official from South Sulawesi’s rescue agency, confirmed in a video statement that the final two victims were recovered early Friday, completing the tragic recovery operation. The National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) has initiated a comprehensive investigation into the accident, with examination of the recently recovered black box data underway.

This incident marks Indonesia’s first fatal crash involving an ATR 42 model in over a decade, recalling the 2015 Trigana Air Service tragedy in Papua that claimed 54 lives. The nation’s aviation safety record has faced increased scrutiny since the 2021 Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737 crash in the Java Sea that resulted in 62 fatalities.

In a demonstration of maritime cooperation, China Coast Guard personnel conducted a successful rescue operation early Friday morning, saving all 13 Filipino crew members from a capsized cargo vessel in the South China Sea waters.

The emergency response was initiated following distress signals received from the Philippine-flagged commercial ship that encountered severe weather conditions approximately 120 nautical miles from the nearest coastline. Chinese maritime authorities immediately deployed rescue vessels and aircraft to coordinate the complex operation amid challenging sea states.

According to official statements released by China’s maritime safety administration, the rescue team reached the incident location within three hours of receiving the initial alert. Using advanced search-and-rescue equipment and employing specialized maritime rescue protocols, all 13 sailors were safely extracted from the water without serious injuries reported.

Medical personnel provided immediate first aid and thorough health assessments aboard the rescue vessels before transferring the Filipino mariners to proper medical facilities on Hainan Island for further observation. Philippine diplomatic representatives have been notified and are coordinating with Chinese authorities regarding the repatriation process.

This incident marks another instance of regional maritime cooperation in emergency situations, highlighting the importance of international maritime safety protocols and joint rescue capabilities in strategically significant waterways. Both Chinese and Philippine authorities have expressed mutual appreciation for the professional execution of the rescue operation and the preservation of human life at sea.