Senior Myanmar army official killed by sniper during helicopter landing

Naypyidaw: In a targeted attack, a high-ranking Myanmar military official, Brigadier General Aye Min Naung, was fatally shot by a sniper as his helicopter prepared to land in the eastern town of Thingannyinaung near Myawaddy, close to the Thai border.

The incident resulted in the deaths of four security services members, including the brigadier general, his personal security officer, and two pilots.

The anonymous military source revealed that the sniper attack occurred as the helicopter was in the landing phase. The injured victims included two other servicemen, whose conditions were not detailed. The source did not specify the number of snipers involved or attribute blame for the attack.

The region around Myawaddy has witnessed frequent clashes between the military junta and ethnic minority fighters, along with allied groups such as the "People's Defence Force." The ongoing unrest has fueled violence and confrontations in the area.

Photographs from the aftermath of the incident circulated by local media depicted a twin-engined Eurocopter 365 lying on its side in a field. This marks another instance of high-ranking military officials becoming casualties in the conflict between the junta and anti-coup forces.

Previously, in November, a brigadier-general leading a light infantry battalion lost his life in clashes near the China border due to a bomb dropped from a drone. Additionally, six brigadier generals are currently in custody after surrendering with over 2,000 troops to an alliance of ethnic minority fighters in the Kokang region.

The armed conflicts in Myanmar have persisted since the military coup in 2021, with various armed ethnic groups engaging the junta on multiple fronts. The assassination of Brigadier General Aye Min Naung underscores the intensification of hostilities and the heightened risks faced by military officials actively involved in the conflict.