A teacher "Attacking schools where only children are present is utterly despicable. The sheer horror of it nearly induces a heart attack.?”

The morning of February 5th brought a pleasant coolness as the school bell chimed at 9:00 am, signaling the start of the day. Children playing in the open field in front of the school rushed to their respective classrooms. Being a small middle school, all students were under the age of 16, totaling more than 200 in attendance.

Much like any other school opening day, the air was filled with the joyful chatter of children reading, playing, and laughing. Teachers carried out their duties with no inkling of impending danger, as everything appeared to be running smoothly and without concern.

With the hands on the clock now pointing to 9:30 am, the gentle breeze outside gradually intensified into a stronger wind. Suddenly, every individual within the school was startled by a loud, roaring buzz emanating from an unknown trajectory.

Initially the roaring sound from the sky blended with the noisy reading and chatting. However as it grew louder and closer, everyone recognized it—the eerie, unmistakable sound of a fighter jet's engine, audible even from a distance. There was no mistaking it.

"We were getting ready to teach the kids when suddenly we heard a really loud noise. Before we could even evacuate, the bombs hit. Some of us managed to run to safety, but others weren't so lucky. Some kids jumped into a ditch, while the older ones tried to run, but they didn't make it in time. We couldn't do anything to keep the kids safe in that terrible moment. It all happened so fast”, a teacher recalled the nightmarish experience.

The fighter jet descended ferociously, resembling an eagle poised to strike its prey, and unleashed two 500-pound bombs without mercy. The first bomb struck the roof of the school, while the second exploded on the ground at the rear of the premises.

Amidst the fleeting apocalyptic moment, panicked children sought refuge by rolling into the ditches dug near the school, aiming to shield themselves from the incoming bombs.

"At that moment, our teacher was busy, so she instructed us to self-study. When we noticed the approaching plane, we all hurried into the bomb shelter ditch. Unfortunately, some of the students didn't reach safety in time and were directly struck by the bomb”, a schoolgirl said.

The girl was retrieving books from what seemed to be her classroom within the now-charred ruins of the school building, visibly shaken by the devastation caused by the bombing. Despite her efforts to hold back tears, her trembling voice betrayed the depth of her experience.

Three children were instantly killed by the force of the explosion as they fled from the danger of the bombs, while another child, severely injured, passed away on the way to the hospital.

The deceased students were identified as Khun San Hlaing (14), Khun Aedo Htoo (14), Khun Al Lel Tha (14), and Khun Christopher (12).The blood that oozed from the dismembered bodies of these innocent children will forever stained their beloved school’s premises.

Following the bombing of Daw Si Ei village middle school, the military aircraft headed directly to Loinanhpa, another village in Demoso Township. There, it unleashed a 120-pound bomb on the village's high school, while also strafing the area with repeated gunfire from its .8 machine gun while flying overhead. The air assault, lasting approximately an hour, culminated in the ruthless dropping of a 500-pound bomb.

The harrowing sound of the warplane and explosions left several students in a state of shock, causing some to faint while others became paralyzed by fear. Desperate for safety, some students resorted to jumping out of windows and fleeing, while others sought refuge under desks. Some managed to find safety in a nearby ditch intended for protection against bombings. Meanwhile, both the teachers at the school and the parents in the village found themselves unable to offer effective assistance. Consumed by their own fear, they could do little more than scream in terror alongside the frightened children.

The haunting image of a schoolboy perishing in front of her eyes as he tried to flee, will forever haunt a teacher. As she recounted the tragic moment, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

"Our children died in front of us. I feel an unbearable amount of pain. I cannot sleep at night. Every time I think about it, tears stream down my face. The faces of the deceased children are still vivid in my mind. The pain is indescribable”, she cried.

"Attacking schools where only children are present is utterly despicable, leaving me speechless in my condemnation. The sheer horror of it nearly induces a heart attack”, a male teacher also noted.

As a man, he appeared to suppress his tears, yet his pained expression revealed that he was deeply shaken, unable to find solace for the lost students.

Schools serve as training centers where children learn not only academic subjects but also how to seamlessly integrate into society. They are also sanctuaries where children are safeguarded.

According to the Rules of Engagement, targeting schools, healthcare facilities, religious structures, civilian areas, or the storage of military weapons within such locations is strictly prohibited. U Banyar, the founder of the Karenni Human Rights Group (KnHRG), emphasized that violating these principles constitutes a war crime.

"Schools serve as the cornerstone of social advancement, where we acquire the fundamental knowledge for progress. The educational system forms the bedrock of peacebuilding efforts. When assessing such an attack, it's insufficient to merely consider the physical devastation, including the destruction of schools and the loss of innocent lives. Targeting institutions that promote peace should be defined as an assault on the very foundation of peacebuilding”, he said.

He also asserted that ruthlessly targeting schools not only undermines the foundations of peacebuilding but also hampers the efforts of the educational system to improve.

After the bombings, both Daw Si Ei village middle school and Loinanhpa village high school were completely toppled and destroyed, leaving nothing salvageable behind.

For those who witnessed children fleeing in desperation, crying and trembling in fear, covering their ears while hiding in ditches due to the sudden disaster interrupting their joyful studies, the haunting memory of those tragic scenes will remain etched in their hearts forever, a pain they will struggle to forget.

More than 800 students from the two schools were unable to resume their studies after enduring the harrowing morning, instead grappling with significant trauma throughout the day. Indeed most of the 800 students and teachers who survived, may be mentally scared for life by the horror they have witnessed.

"Why would anyone target innocent children like this? I plead that such acts never happen again. I urge the authorities to take actions against those responsible for these awful deeds”, a teacher who went through the terrible experience along with the children said.