The parachute was said by the Mizzima news site to belong to the Myanmar pilot who controlled the fighter jet that crashed on November 11 (Photo: Mizzima).
The plane crashed in Kayah state in eastern Myanmar, near the border with Thailand, on November 11 while the regular army was fighting with the Karen National Defense Force (KNDF).
Myanmar military spokesman Zaw Min Tun told MRTV that the plane crashed due to a technical problem. After parachuting safely, the pilots contacted the military, Zaw Min Tun said.
Meanwhile, the KNDF said on social media that they shot down the plane with heavy machine guns and were searching for the pilots.
Reuters has not been able to independently verify the information.
The pro-rebel Mizzima news agency also published images of what it said were the pilot's helmet and parachute.
The plane crash comes as Myanmar's military is fighting rebel forces on multiple fronts.
Myanmar's acting president warned last week that the country risks being torn apart if the conflict is not effectively resolved.
Myanmar's border region is home to many ethnic armed groups that have been in conflict with the government for decades over resource exploitation rights.
Since late October, a coalition of three rebel forces has been attacking Myanmar's army in northeastern Shan State, which borders China, seizing several towns, forcing at least 50,000 people to flee their homes, according to the United Nations, and cutting off trade routes.
China has called on all sides to end the conflict.
The rebel alliance says it has so far seized more than 100 army outposts. Towns in central Myanmar’s Sagaing region and western Shan state have also been attacked.
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