Myanmar Military Jet Crashes in Kayah State, Resistance Group Claims Responsibility

Search for two pilots underway amid escalating conflict with insurgent groups; military suggests technical failure as possible cause

A Myanmar military jet crashed in Kayah State during clashes between the military and the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF), an insurgent group that claimed responsibility for shooting down the plane.
The military suggested that the crash was due to a technical problem and stated that the pilots had ejected safely and were in contact with the military.
The incident occurred amid escalating conflict in Myanmar, with the military battling opposition forces on multiple fronts. The military-installed president recently warned that Myanmar was at risk of breaking apart due to the failure to deal with the insurgency more effectively.
Conflict in Shan State, bordering China, has displaced at least 50,000 people, with trade routes cut off and several towns seized by three ethnic minority insurgent groups. The insurgent alliance claims to have seized more than 100 army posts.
Hundreds of foreign workers, including citizens of Vietnam and Thailand, are trapped by the fighting. The Thai foreign ministry stated that 200 of its nationals were waiting to be evacuated.
Most combat aircraft in Myanmar’s military come from China or Russia, which also supply other armaments. Many Western nations maintain an arms embargo, in addition to other sanctions on the ruling military, and are making efforts to block the supply of aviation fuel.