Military men started a deadly attack on civilians on Christmas Eve, and two of the 30 casualties were confirmed to be Save the Children staff members.
According to reports, the two men that died are new fathers. The organization also pleads for justice for the staff workers and their families.
"With profound sadness, we confirm two of our staff are among the burnt bodies found in Myanmar after an attack by the military on Xmas Eve. Both new fathers working on education for children. The UN Security Council must convene & take action to hold those responsible to account," the organization said in a statement via CNN.
Victims bodies were burned after they were killed
Save the Children revealed that some military members forced people to get out of their cars before arresting them, and others were killed and their bodies burnt. The 30 individuals killed included a mix of women, men, and children.
Reports confirmed that the victims of the attack were discovered close to Hpruso Township in Kayah state and all their bodies are charred. The soldiers reportedly fired on and killed an unspecified number of terrorists with weapons from forces fighting the military government.
Statements released denouncing the attacks on innocent individuals
Martin Griffiths, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, confirmed the reports. He also said he's condemning the grievous incident and all other attacks targeting civilians because they are prohibited by law.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also released a statement condemning the attack. He said that the targeting and killing of innocent people and humanitarian actors are unacceptable. He also said that the United States would continue to press to restore the country's path to peace and democracy.
Inger Ashing, chief executive of International Humanitarian Law, said that the senseless attack is intolerable. Ashing also said that what happened to the 30 victims is not an isolated case because Myanmar residents continue to be targeted, according to ABC News.
Myanmar in turmoil since the military takeover
According to Al Jazeera, Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military took over and overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The latter is also facing multiple charges, including breaking COVID-19 rules and could be sent to prison.
Kyi has denied all the charges against her, but she was still sent to prison and is facing two years behind bars. On top of this, Kyi could also face ten other charges that could leave her in jail for the rest of her life.
Prior to her sentencing, Kyi was kept in an undisclosed location. Her supporters rallied against the military by saying that Kyi was treated unfairly due to her political affiliations.
At the time, Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs slammed the United Nations for making one-sided judgments regarding their decision to detain Kyi, according to Reuters. Since the military takeover in February, mass protests have also been held across Myanmar, and the majority of them support Kyi.
Related Article: Nobel Peace Prize Recipient Aung San Suu Kyi Faces Multiple Charges Including Incitement, Breaking COVID-19 Rules, Could be Imprisoned
