Rebels in Myanmar Claim Responsibility for Fighter Jet Crash

The army in Myanmar and a rebel group announced the crash of a fighter jet during clashes between the two sides, marking another setback for the military council facing its biggest challenge to rule since the 2021 coup. Zaw Min Tun, a spokesperson for the military council, stated in an interview with the state-run MRTV that the aircraft crashed due to a technical issue and that the pilots safely exited and contacted the army. The jet fell in Kayah State in eastern Myanmar, near the border with Thailand, during fighting between the army and the Karenni National Defense Forces, who claimed to have shot down the aircraft. This incident occurs as the Myanmar army battles opposition forces on multiple fronts, while ethnic minority forces and militias opposing the military council are conducting a rebellion that security analysts say is being carried out with an unprecedented level of coordination.