Four Myanmar security personnel, including a brigadier-general, were killed by sniper fire on Monday as their helicopter prepared to land, a military source told AFP.
Brigadier General Aye Min Naung, his personal security officer, and two pilots were shot by a “sniper” as their helicopter was about to land in eastern Thingannyinaung town near Myawaddy on the Thai border, according to the security source.
The brigadier general later died, according to the source, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak with the media.
They said that two other personnel on the chopper had “survived,” but provided no other details.
The insider did not indicate how many snipers fired at the chopper or who was to blame for the shooting.
In recent months, the junta has clashed with ethnic minority fighters and allied “People’s Defence Force” groups near Myawaddy on a regular basis.
Local media produced photographs purported to show the aftermath of the incident, including a small helicopter lying on its side in a field.
According to one local outlet, the helicopter was a Eurocopter 365 with twin engines.
The brigadier general is the latest high-ranking officer to die on the front lines as the junta fights coup opponents around the country.
A military source told AFP that the brigadier-general of a light infantry battalion was killed in November by a bomb dropped from a drone in Monekoe near the Chinese border during skirmishes.
Six brigadier generals are currently in captivity after surrendering with over 2,000 troops to an alliance of ethnic minority militants in the neighboring Kokang district.
In November, a light fighter plane carrying two pilots crashed in the country’s east, where fighting is ongoing, with anti-coup forces claiming they shot it down.
The junta claimed that the incident was caused by an engine failure.
Myanmar has been torn apart by conflict since the 2021 military coup, with many armed ethnic groups fighting the junta on various fronts.