As per reports from a person involved in cremating bodies and local media, the death toll resulting from an air strike on the central Myanmar village of Pa Zi Gyi has now climbed to at least 170.
The attack took place on Tuesday morning and had a devastating impact on the village located in the Sagaing region, which is predominantly controlled by groups opposing the military junta.
The account provided by the military authorities has been disputed by rescue workers, who have highlighted the methodical and deliberate nature of the attack. According to them, the assault began with a jet fighter dropping bombs, followed by an Mi-35 helicopter strafing the area and opening fire.
On Friday, a villager who was involved in the cremation of the bodies and requested anonymity for safety reasons reported that his team had raised the death toll to 171 from the earlier count of 130. He added that among the fatalities, there were 109 men, 24 women, and 38 children, while 53 injured individuals were receiving medical attention.
The National Unity Government (NUG), a shadow organization primarily composed of former lawmakers from the civilian government that was overthrown in the February 2021 coup, released a chart on Friday that indicated a total of 168 fatalities.
Pa Zi Gyi village has turned into a ghost town with over 800 residents of the 100 homes fleeing and refusing to return due to the looming threat of another military attack. Local resident Ko Myo told Radio Free Asia (RFA) that they had to urgently cremate bodies as the military's planes were still flying around, using car tires to build pyres.
Rescue workers are finding it difficult to identify the remains of some victims as the bodies were disfigured beyond recognition. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military ousted the civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, resulting in the killing of an estimated 5,000 civilians.
The air attack on Pa Zi Gyi, which occurred on the eve of the traditional water festival, Thingyan, sparked international outrage. The United Kingdom, called for the UN Security Council to convene while the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which has been leading diplomatic efforts to end the crisis, strongly condemned the air strikes.