Myanmar junta hid weapons on passenger flight

Confidential documents have revealed that Myanmar’s military secretly moved weapons on a civilian passenger plane late last year, raising fresh concerns about the regime’s use of civilian infrastructure in its war effort.

Records obtained by The Irrawaddy show that in November 2025, a Yangon–Myitkyina flight carried 50 BA‑72 assault rifles. The shipment was approved by the Department of Civil Aviation and believed to have been executed by Myanmar National Airlines, the only carrier under the ministry’s control.

The rifles were handed to Infantry Battalion 297, which distributed them to the Warazup People’s Militia — a little‑known group based in Hpakant, notorious for attacks on the Kachin Independence Army and for abducting civilians. The transfer was overseen by Captain Kyaw Thet Naing and senior officers, according to the leaked memos.

Analysts say the covert use of civilian aviation highlights the junta’s desperation as it faces mounting losses and dwindling public support. Military defector Zin Yaw described the tactic as both concealment and exploitation: “From the point of view of civilians, the military is using them as human shields to mask troop and weapons transports.”

Despite having military aircraft such as Mi‑17 and Y‑8 models, the regime has repeatedly relied on passenger planes. Justice for Myanmar reported in 2024 that ATR aircraft were repurposed to ferry troops and arms to civilian airports across the country, including Sittwe, Lashio and Loikaw. Witnesses have since spotted these planes in conflict zones where civilian flights were suspended.

The revelations underscore how Myanmar’s junta blurs the line between civilian and military domains, exposing ordinary passengers to risk while reinforcing militias accused of abuses. For communities in Kachin State, the discovery is another reminder that the war has infiltrated every aspect of daily life.

-2026-02-07