The fighter jet crashed in Kayah state in eastern Myanmar, near the border with Thailand, on November 11, during fighting between the military and the Karenni National Defense Force (KNDF) rebel group.

The KNDF said on its Facebook page that it shot down the fighter jet on November 11 using heavy machine guns and that KNDF members were searching for the pilots.

Meanwhile, Myanmar military government spokesman Zaw Min Tun told state-run MRTV that the plane crashed due to a technical problem, and the pilots parachuted safely and were in contact with the military.

The fighter jet crash comes as Myanmar's military is fighting ethnic armed groups on multiple fronts.

Fighting in northern Myanmar’s Shan State, which borders China, has displaced at least 50,000 people, cut trade routes and seized several towns since an anti-government offensive launched by three rebel groups last month. The rebel alliance claims to have seized more than 100 military posts.

Faced with the above situation, Myanmar's military-backed President Myint Swe warned on November 8 that Myanmar risks being divided if the military cannot prevent a collective attack by ethnic armed groups, according to AFP.