Myanmar airport shut after rebel drone attack: security sources
Mandalay Airport in Myanmar has been closed for two days following a drone attack attributed to pro-democracy rebels. While the military government claims the airport is a civilian facility, it is also used for military operations.
Why it matters
The attack marks a significant escalation in the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, as rebel groups increasingly target urban infrastructure.
Myanmar’s second-busiest airport was closed for two days on Friday (September 11, 2026), security sources told AFP , after the military-backed government accused pro-democracy rebels of attacking it with drones.
Mandalay Airport is an international and domestic travel hub in central Myanmar, but civilian air raid warning groups also identify it as a runway for military jets launching sorties.
Six “suicide drones” attacked it on Thursday afternoon (September 10, 2026), the military-backed government said in a statement, causing no casualties but disrupting flight schedules.
However, a security source told AFP on Friday (September 11, 2026), “Mandalay airport is closed for today and tomorrow.”
“The attack happened some distance from the airport building, but the airport is closed protectively,” said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to the media.
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