Myanmar accuses rebels in east of shooting passenger plane

Myanmar’s military government accused rebel forces in the eastern state of Kayah of firing at a passenger plane as it was preparing to land Friday, wounding a passenger who was hit by a bullet that penetrated the fuselage. Rebel groups denied the allegation. State television MRTV said the Myanmar National Airlines plane, carrying 63 passengers, was hit as it was about to land in Loikaw, the capital of the eastern state of Kayah, also known as Karenni. It said Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, a spokesperson for Myanmar’s ruling military council, said the shooting was carried out by “terrorists” belonging to the Karenni National Progressive Party, an ethnic minority militia battling the government, and their allies in the People’s Defense Force, an armed pro-democracy group. “I want to say that this kind of attack on the passenger plane is a war crime,” he told MRTV by phone. “People and organizations who want peace need to condemn this issue all round.” MRTV said the bullet entered the plane’s lower fuselage as it was flying at an altitude of 3,500 feet about 6.5 kilometers north of the airport. It said the injured passenger was taken to a hospital. The state news agency released photos it said were of the bullet hole and the passenger being treated. Myanmar National Airlines’ office in Loikaw announced that all flights to the city were canceled indefinitely. Kayah state has experienced intense conflict between the military and local resistance groups since the army seized power last year, overthrowing the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.<br/>