In a significant blow to Myanmar’s military junta, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), a rebel group, claimed responsibility for shooting down a junta fighter jet in Pale Township, Sagaing Region, on June 10, 2025. The incident, which occurred during a junta bombing raid, marks at least the 10th regime aircraft downed by resistance forces since the military coup in February 2021. This latest escalation in Myanmar’s ongoing civil war underscores the growing capability of anti-junta forces to challenge the military’s air dominance.

The PLA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of Burma, reported that the fighter jet was shot down at approximately 12:30 p.m. during a fierce battle for control of the Kan Dauk police station in Pale Township, located 39 miles southwest of Monywa in northwest Myanmar. Resistance forces, including the PLA and allied groups, had been attacking the junta stronghold since June 2, 2025. In response, the military deployed fighter jets and Y-12 airplanes to conduct airstrikes, dropping hundreds of bombs in the area over the past week to support ground troops.

According to PLA spokesperson Daw Ni Ni Kyaw, resistance fighters used a 0.50-caliber M2 Browning machine gun to bring down the junta warplane, identified as a Chinese-Pakistani-origin JF-17 Thunder or a Chinese FTC-2000G. The aircraft, struck while flying low during a bombing run, crashed in Sabarse village, with debris scattering across a monastery and surrounding countryside. Social media posts and resistance videos showed the jet’s smoking wreckage, providing visual evidence of the incident. The junta, however, attributed the crash to “sudden engine failure” during a routine flight, a claim dismissed by rebels and independent media as inconsistent with the evidence.

This incident follows a string of successful anti-aircraft operations by Myanmar’s resistance forces. Just three weeks earlier, on May 20, 2025, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) downed two junta transport helicopters during fighting for Bhamo town in Kachin State, reportedly using man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) such as the Chinese-made FN-6. Read more about it here

Since the 2021 coup, resistance groups have destroyed at least four fighter jets, five helicopters, and one helicopter gunship across regions including Sagaing, Kachin, Shan, Karenni, and Karen states. These losses highlight the junta’s diminishing air superiority, a critical advantage in a civil war where ground operations face fierce opposition.

The PLA’s use of a heavy machine gun, rather than advanced MANPADS, to down the jet suggests a combination of tactical ingenuity and resourcefulness. Local anti-junta fighter Zaw Tun, from the allied People’s Defence Force (PDF), noted that coordinated fire from machine guns targeted the low-flying aircraft, exploiting its vulnerability during the bombing run.

Sagaing Region, located near Myanmar’s border with India, has emerged as a stronghold of armed resistance since the 2021 coup that ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The region, part of Myanmar’s “dry zone” and breadbasket, has seen intense fighting as pro-democracy groups and ethnic armies challenge the junta’s control. The military has responded with devastating airstrikes, often targeting civilian areas, schools, and monasteries, resulting in significant civilian casualties. A May 2025 airstrike in Sagaing, for instance, killed up to 20 students and two teachers at a school, drawing international condemnation.

The battle for Kan Dauk police station exemplifies the ongoing struggle. The PLA and allied forces, including local PDFs, have been engaging junta troops and pro-regime militias in Pale Township, with the military relying heavily on air support to maintain its foothold. The downing of the jet not only disrupts these operations but also boosts morale among resistance fighters, who control roughly 80% of Pale Township despite relentless junta bombardments.

The PLA, rearmed in August 2021 following the coup, adheres to Marxist-Leninist and Maoist ideologies and operates across multiple regions, including Sagaing, Mandalay, Shan, and Tanintharyi. With an estimated 1,000 troops in 2023, the group has received initial support from the KIA and collaborates with other resistance forces, such as the Bamar People’s Liberation Army (BPLA) and the National Unity Government (NUG)’s PDFs. The PLA’s actions, including the protection of 138 elephants and their handlers from junta-run timber camps in 2024, reflect its broader mission to oppose the military dictatorship and liberate Myanmar’s people.

The downing of the jet aligns with a broader trend of resistance successes. The Three Brotherhood Alliance—comprising the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and Arakan Army (AA)—has also made significant gains, capturing towns and military outposts in Shan State and beyond. These coordinated efforts, supported by drone warfare and occasional foreign expertise, have eroded the junta’s control, with independent reports estimating that the military now holds less than a quarter of Myanmar’s territory.