Myanmar’s ruling junta has confirmed carrying out air strikes on a village in the Sagaing region on Tuesday.
At least 50 people were killed in Pazigyi, including women and schoolchildren, and dozens were wounded.
Zaw Min Tun, a spokesman for the military, said that security forces attacked an opening ceremony of a local office allegedly connected to an opposing militia group and admitted some targets were in "civilian clothes".
The junta said it had "launched limited air strikes" after receiving a tip-off from locals about the event.
Mr Tun blamed some of the deaths on mines planted by the militias — known as the People’s Defence Forces.
There was no official confirmation of the number of deaths, but the military insisted they had tried to minimise civilian casualties.
"We heard that more people were killed because of big explosions from weapons and ammunitions … displayed at the opening event," a junta statement said.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack and called for the military to “end the campaign of violence against the Myanmar population throughout the country", demanding “those responsible to be held accountable”.
UN rights chief Volker Turk said he was "horrified" by the deadly air strikes.
Washington also denounced the "reprehensible" attack.
"We strongly condemn the regime's air strikes and urge the regime to cease the violence," US State Department counsellor Derek Chollet tweeted.
The final death toll is estimated to be as high as 100.
The attack is reported to be one of the deadliest since the junta seized power in a military coup more than two years ago.
The attack came as Myanmar was preparing to mark the Buddhist new year — Thingyan — which begins on Thursday.
"As the people of Myanmar celebrate their New Year, the EU is deeply shocked by reports of the latest atrocity committed by the military regime in Sagaing, taking the lives of dozens of innocent civilians," EU foreign affairs representative Nabila Massrali said.
The military last month extended a six-month state of emergency and postponed elections it had promised to hold by August.
The crackdown on dissent following the February 2021 coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian government has left more than 3,200 people dead, according to a local monitoring group.
Sagaing region - near the country's second-largest city of Mandalay - has put up some of the fiercest resistance to the military's rule, with intense fighting raging there for months.
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GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
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Rating: 3.5/5
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Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
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Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds