At least 40 people, including several children, were killed and around 80 injured when Myanmar’s military carried out an airstrike on a Buddhist festival that coincided with an anti-junta protest in Chaung-U, central Myanmar, on Monday evening. Witnesses told AFP that hundreds had gathered for the Thadingyut Full Moon Festival when participants began chanting slogans against the ruling junta. Moments later, a motorized paraglider dropped two bombs on the crowd, causing devastating explosions. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and horror, with bodies torn apart and rescuers collecting human remains into the next morning. The Myanmar military, which seized power in a 2021 coup, has been battling nationwide resistance from pro-democracy forces allied with ethnic armed groups. Local media confirmed the death toll, though the junta has yet to comment. The attack comes ahead of a controversial national election scheduled for December 28, which critics call a sham to legitimize military rule.