In a significant blow to Myanmar’s military and a potential embarrassment for China, rebel forces claimed to have shot down a Chinese-made fighter jet on Tuesday during intense clashes in the country’s Sagaing region.

The aircraft crashed and burned around 12:30 p.m. in Pale township, about 140 km west of Mandalay — an area that has seen escalating violence amid Myanmar's civil war. While state-run broadcaster MRTV cited mechanical failure as the cause, the rebel People's Liberation Army (PLA) said its fighters shot the plane down while launching an attack on a police station. 

Local media identified the jet as a Chinese-made FTC-2000G ground-attack aircraft, introduced into Myanmar’s arsenal in 2022. Images and videos posted by the PLA showed the aircraft's wreckage in flames, along with graphic scenes of debris and apparent body parts.

The development comes just days after Chinese state media highlighted the FTC-2000G and L-15 combat trainer jets as cost-effective, dual-role aircraft positioned for strong global exports. Experts praised these jets for their affordability, combat capability, and China's robust maintenance support — a reputation now potentially dented by Tuesday’s crash.

Notably, this isn’t the first reported loss of a Chinese fighter jet in Myanmar’s civil conflict. On January 16, 2024, an FTC-2000G operated by the Myanmar Air Force was shot down in Shan State by the Kachin Independence Army using a Chinese-made FN-6 man-portable air defence missile.

The use of Chinese aircraft and their vulnerability to portable air defence systems raises concerns about the effectiveness and survivability of these jets in irregular warfare conditions.

The Sagaing region has remained a key battleground between the military junta and resistance groups since the February 2021 coup. With growing insurgency, the military has heavily relied on air power — largely sourced from China and Russia — to suppress opposition strongholds.

Rebel groups claim the military has lost multiple helicopters and fighter jets in recent months, though independent verification remains difficult due to tight media control and the remoteness of combat zones.

In May, an alleged airstrike on a school in Sagaing reportedly killed over 20 students and teachers — a claim denied by military authorities but widely reported by independent media.