A video from Myanmar showing anti-Junta rebel groups operating drones to bomb buildings occupied by the Myanmar military is being shared with a false claim that it shows Kukis using drones to attack Meitei houses in Manipur
Ethnic clashes between the Meitei community and the Kuki tribe have rocked Manipur since May 3, 2023, with fresh violence erupting on July 26, 2023, in the North Eastern state's Moreh Bazar area, according to news reports.
However, several unrelated videos are also going viral claiming to show the clashes in Manipur.
The viral video, which is over three minutes long, shows two men operating drones and releasing them in the air with those drones then dropping small bombs on a few buildings.
The video is being shared with the caption, "Kuki leaked VIDEO The Kuki Terrorists have started using drones to bomb numerous areas... What are you waiting for, Mr. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ? Drone bombing houre haiba proof ka loinana phange"
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The same video is being shared widely on Facebook with the same false claim.
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FACT-CHECK
BOOM found that the viral video is from the Sagaing region of Myanmar and not from Manipur as claimed on social media.
We have previously debunked unrelated videos of rebel groups in Myanmar using drones against Myanmar's military government (Junta) that has been shared falsely as Manipur.
BOOM took a screenshot from the video and did a reverse image search and found the video on a Telegram group on June 2, 2023. The post credited Mandalay Free Press for the video.
The same viral video was uploaded by Mandalay Free Press on June 2, 2023. The description when translated said the video showed rebels bombing military buildings in Sagaing region in Myanmar.
A rough translation of the YouTube description in Burmese translates to, local defense forces attacked the Myanmar Military who were destroying villages in Ayadaw Township in Sagaing Division by using drones and dropping bombs. As a result of this attack, 2 military soldiers were killed and many were injured.
The incident took place on May 31, 2023. Seven rebel groups were reported to be part of the attack.
We can see the same visuals in this original video as in the viral video.
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BOOM Myanmar also confirmed that the viral video is from the Sagaing region in Myanmar.
We also found several news reports on rebel groups in Myanmar using drones in the civil war against the military government. Radio Free Asia reported on April 14, 2023, on a drone attack that had killed eight people and injured 30 in Sagaing region.
Geo-locating the visuals in the viral video to Myanmar
BOOM checked Google Earth and Google Maps and was able to geo-locate the location seen in the viral video to War Tan village in Ayadaw Township.
A comparison of the structures seen in the viral video match with the structures seen in War Tan village in Myanmar on Google Earth.
Click here to view the location on Google Earth
With inputs from BOOM Myanmar.
Additional reporting by Sujith A
Update: Story updated with geo location of the viral video.
