The Philippines, which holds the 2026 chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, has expressed concern over a deadly airstrike in Myanmar’s Rakhine state and offered to facilitate regional discussions on how ASEAN can help address the country’s worsening crisis.
Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Affairs Ana Marie Hernando said in an email response Saturday that Manila was closely monitoring developments after the Sept. 28 attack in Kyauktaw, where the death toll rose to 50 and at least 58 people were wounded, according to local aid workers and the Arakan Army, the ethnic armed group that controls the area.
"The Philippines is closely monitoring developments and expresses concern over the attacks which resulted in destruction, loss of lives and injuries to those affected,” Hernando said.
Manila said it would remain mindful of the positions of ASEAN’s member states and follow the bloc’s consensus-based approach.
The Philippines also said it was prepared to facilitate discussions on ways to assist Myanmar, in line with ASEAN’s stated goal of finding a solution that is "Myanmar-owned and led.”
The statement came days after the airstrike hit a busy market area and a nearby bridge in Kyauktaw, a town in western Rakhine state near the Bangladesh border.
The Arakan Army said a military fighter jet dropped two bombs near the market around midday, when the area was crowded with vendors, shoppers and other civilians. The military has not publicly commented on the attack.
Local rescue officials initially reported 33 deaths and 36 injuries. The death toll later climbed to 50, while 58 people were reported wounded, with some in critical condition. Local sources said fires caused by the bombing badly burned some victims and complicated efforts to recover and identify bodies.
The attack was among the deadliest recent airstrikes in Rakhine, a state that has endured some of the fiercest fighting since Myanmar's military seized power in February 2021.
The United Nations expressed alarm over the reported casualties and said the violence underscored the continuing danger facing civilians and displaced people in the region.
Conflict deepens in Rakhine
The airstrike came as fighting between Myanmar’s military and the Arakan Army continues to reshape control of Rakhine.
The Arakan Army has captured large areas of the state during an offensive that began in late 2023, while the military has increasingly relied on air power and artillery in areas where it has lost ground.
The broader conflict began after the military overthrew the elected government in February 2021.
The coup triggered mass protests and an armed resistance movement that expanded as ethnic armed organizations and pro-democracy forces fought the military across much of the country.
The conflict has created one of Southeast Asia’s most severe humanitarian crises. The U.N. estimated nearly 3.8 million people were internally displaced across Myanmar by June 2026, while 16.2 million people, including 4.9 million children, required humanitarian assistance.
Conflict monitors have estimated that more than 100,000 people have been killed since the 2021 coup. Rakhine has been particularly hard hit, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced and humanitarian access severely constrained.
ASEAN faces a difficult balancing act
Myanmar's crisis has tested ASEAN's ability to respond collectively.
The bloc's engagement has centered on its Five-Point Consensus, adopted in 2021, which calls for an immediate end to violence, dialogue among the parties, the appointment of a special envoy, humanitarian assistance, and an envoy visit to Myanmar.
Implementation has made limited progress, with the military authorities resisting meaningful engagement with their opponents.
ASEAN has also struggled to maintain a unified position as member states have differed over how strongly the bloc should pressure Myanmar's military leadership.
The Philippines assumed the ASEAN chairmanship for 2026 and has emphasized a Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led process while maintaining the organization's consensus-based approach.
Manila's response to the Kyauktaw strike reflects that cautious diplomatic position.
Rather than announcing a new collective measure, the Philippines expressed concern, reiterated ASEAN's established approach and offered to convene discussions on possible assistance.