BANGKOK, Oct 25 (AFP) - Myanmar military air strikes on a concert held by a major ethnic rebel group killed around 50 people and wounded 70, the rebels said on Monday (Oct 24).

"Around 8.40 pm on Sunday, two Myanmar military jets attacked" a ceremony the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) was holding, Colonel Naw Bu, told AFP.

"Around 50 people were killed including KIA members and civilians," he said, adding that around 70 were wounded.

Local media reported that up to 60 soldiers and civilians had been killed.

Images shared by local media purported to show the aftermath, with debris littering the ground.

The United Nation's office in Myanmar said it was "deeply concerned and saddened by reports of airstrikes that took place in Hpakant, Kachin State".

"Initial reports suggest that over 100 civilians may have been affected by the bombing," it said in a statement.

"Numerous fatalities have also been reported," it added.

A junta spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

The US Embassy in Yangon said it was "following reports of a military airstrike targeting a Kachin gathering resulting in the deaths of a large number of civilians".

The KIA has clashed regularly with the military for decades, with heavy fighting erupting in the wake of last year's coup.