A Myanmar military jet crashed in a conflict zone in eastern Kayah state this week amid fierce clashes between the military and resistance forces.
According to Military.com, a jet went down near Hpasawng township on Wednesday, as the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force said its fighters shot the aircraft during intense combat in a region contested since Myanmar's 2021 coup.
The fighter aircraft went missing during a military training operation, according to official sources from the Myanmar army. The wreckage was later located by the resistance group, which released footage of the damaged plane and the remains of the crew members. The government has not confirmed the cause of the crash or whether any combat action brought the plane down.
The Karenni Nationalities Defence Force, also known as the KNDF, operates in the mountainous Kayah State, which borders Thailand. The group has repeatedly clashed with government forces over the last several years, joining a growing resistance movement after the military seized power in February 2021. Kayah state has since been one of the centers of anti-junta resistance.
Claims of Attack Follow String of Military Losses
According to Maui, the KNDF’s vice commander-in-chief and Secretary No. 2, resistance fighters shot the jet down early Wednesday as government forces launched coordinated airstrikes in the Hpasawng region. As fighting escalated in the days prior, resistance groups reportedly overran an army battalion post in the area. “A jet had been shot down early Wednesday by the resistance fighters during heavy fighting near Hpasawng township in Kayah state,” Maui said. He added that the aircraft in question could be the same one the military later reported missing.
KNDF forces released photos and videos on Thursday showing the crash site, where the wreckage could be seen smoking. In the media shared by the group, resistance members posed at the location of the destroyed aircraft. Local news outlets also published independent photos that appeared to match the crash scene, including visible human remains believed to be the two pilots.
Military Reports Missing Jet as Search Begins
The Myanmar military, however, offered a different timeline and explanation. State newspaper Myanma Alinn reported on Thursday that a fighter plane vanished late Tuesday during a training mission. The disappearance occurred roughly 130 kilometers southeast of Myanmar’s capital, Naypyitaw, near the general area where the KNDF claimed responsibility for the downing.
The official report did not mention any enemy engagement and suggested that bad weather or a technical issue may have caused the aircraft to crash. Authorities stated that recovery operations were underway but did not confirm whether the jet had been found or if the crew had survived. The KNDF said the aircraft involved was a Chinese-manufactured FTC-2000G, a two-seat fighter-bomber often used for ground attacks. Myanmar's military aviation fleet largely consists of jets and helicopters sourced from China and Russia. Western governments have imposed arms embargoes and restricted aviation fuel exports to Myanmar since the coup.
Escalation in Kayah State Reflects Wider Conflict
The jet incident comes amid rising violence across the country. Kayah state, where the crash occurred, is the smallest of Myanmar’s seven states and is largely home to the Karenni ethnic minority. The region has seen consistent clashes between resistance fighters and the military since 2021.
The fighting grew tenser earlier this week after resistance fighters claimed to have captured an army infantry battalion in Hpasawng. That victory appears to have triggered a wave of airstrikes by military forces, leading to the fatal encounter involving the jet. Since the coup, Myanmar’s armed forces have increasingly relied on aerial support to confront resistance campaigns on the ground. The use of jets and helicopters has given the military an advantage that opposition groups have struggled to counter effectively.
Pattern of Aircraft Losses Raising Doubts
Reports suggest that the Myanmar military has lost multiple aircraft in recent months, including five helicopters and at least four combat jets. In both May and June, opposition groups like the KNDF claimed successful attacks on military aircraft, although these events could not always be independently verified.
While government forces maintain that many of these aircraft losses are due to weather conditions or technical faults, resistance groups often assert they have been successful in downing planes. The unresolved debate over the causes has fueled speculation and concern about the government’s control of the airspace, thereby heightening the volatility of the conflict. The wreckage found this week and the military’s missing aircraft report appear to share enough similarities that they may refer to the same event. “The plane could be the same one that the military had declared missing,” Maui said, suggesting that the Wednesday crash and Tuesday’s training accident may be the same incident.
Uncertainty Over Determining Final Responsibility
Despite the resistance group’s assertions and visual evidence, the Myanmar government has not confirmed whether combat caused the jet’s disappearance. Without official acknowledgment, attributing full responsibility for the downed aircraft remains difficult under ongoing wartime conditions. Opposition representatives say operational silence from the military is common following combat losses. The junta tends to downplay casualties and equipment losses in territory where it faces armed resistance and diminishing control.
As fighting continues throughout Myanmar, the downing of a jet — whether from a missile, mechanical failure, or weather — highlights the intensifying nature of the civil war. For now, an uneasy stalemate hangs over Kayah state, with both sides claiming control over the skies in different ways.
