Mandalay airport shut after drone strike

Myanmar’s second‑busiest airport has been forced to close for two days after a rare rebel drone attack, security sources confirmed. Mandalay International Airport, a key hub for both domestic and international travel, was struck on Thursday by six so‑called “suicide drones”, according to the military‑backed government.

Officials said the attack caused no casualties but disrupted flight schedules. A security source told AFP: “Mandalay airport is closed for today and tomorrow,” adding that the strike occurred some distance from the main terminal but prompted precautionary closure. Another officer at a separate airport confirmed the facility would remain shut “for maintenance” until Sunday.

The incident marks one of the few acknowledged rebel strikes in a major urban area. Since the 2021 coup, Myanmar has been engulfed in civil war, with the military battling pro‑democracy militias and ethnic armed groups. The government blamed the attack on the People’s Defence Forces, a network of guerrillas formed after the putsch.

While the authorities described the airport as a “non‑military, public transportation system”, Mandalay has long been identified by civilian monitoring groups as a base for military jets launching bombing raids. AFP reporters have previously observed military aircraft operating from the site.

Both sides in the conflict now deploy drones, but analysts say the military’s air force — stocked with Chinese and Russian jets — remains decisive. Rights groups have accused the air wing of targeting civilians at schools, monasteries and festivals, with mass casualties flagged as possible war crimes.

The closure of Mandalay airport underlines the growing reach of rebel tactics and the vulnerability of infrastructure once considered secure. With more than 100,000 people estimated killed in the conflict, the strike highlights how Myanmar’s war is increasingly spilling into areas vital for civilian life and international travel.

-2026-09-11