Passenger injured as flight sustains gunfire in mid-air

NAYPYIDAW: A Myanmar National Airlines flight at a height of 1000 ft was fired upon by rebels as bullet penetrated the plane's fuselage and injured a passenger. The passenger who suffered injury was immediately taken to a hospital in Loikaw.

Following the incident, Myanmar National Airlines announced that all flights to and from the city have been suspended indefinitely. Myanmar's military government blamed rebels for firing on the plane, which the rebels rejected. Myanmar government spokesman Major General Sa Min Tun said that such an attack on a passenger plane is a war crime.

Since 2021, when the military overthrew the elected goversnment of Aung San Suu Kyi, the region has been witnessing intense armed conflict between the military and rebels.