By Nway / MPA
The National Unity Government (NUG) has suspended the official opening of Aung San University in Mying Township, Magway Region, following airstrikes by the military junta.
The military junta launched airstrikes on Aung San University in Mying Township on Wednesday evening, using 500-pound bombs. The attack not only damaged the university premises but also forced residents from surrounding villages to flee, according to the People’s Defense Team – Mying (Pa Ka Pha – Mying).
An official from Pa Ka Pha – Mying told MPA, “Everyone from the area, including nearby villages, had to evacuate. The university had to be shut down before it could even open. Right now, we are discussing the next steps with the education committees, and students have been sent back to their homes.”
The university’s opening ceremony was originally scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on Thursday but was postponed following the first airstrike, according to a source familiar with the matter.
“If the attack had happened during the ceremony, the casualties would have been much higher,” the source said.
The airstrikes reportedly killed a student from Gangaw Township who had traveled to enroll at the university and injured four others.
A student from Dagon University who joined the anti-coup civil disobedience movement shared their frustration, “When I heard about the university opening, I was excited to resume my studies. But before we even had a chance to begin, they bombed it. It’s heartbreaking. Under military rule, nowhere in this country is safe—whether in major cities or liberated areas, we are always at risk.”
On Tuesday, NUG’s Deputy Minister for Electricity and Energy, U Maw Htun Aung, had announced on social media that the university would soon open in a liberated area, according to a report from Radio NUG.
An official from Pa Ka Pha – Mying believes the junta saw the university as a direct challenge to its authority—particularly in Magway Region.
“They won’t tolerate a university opening under NUG’s administration,” the official said. “The problem was that information about the university became too public, and some people recklessly shared details online.”
A Yangon-based political activist noted that the junta is increasingly targeting civilian areas, not just military objectives.
“The junta is aggressively using its airpower. The key question is—how do we counter this?” he said. “Bombing requires not just munitions but also fuel. The resistance must step up efforts to cut off jet fuel supplies and pressure the defense industries that produce ammunition for the junta.”
According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), at least 81 civilians were killed in junta airstrikes between January 1 and January 31, 2025.
