Old images of captured weapons falsely shared as recent seizure
As the Myanmar junta seized key townships from rebel groups ahead of elections in December, old photos from a munitions bust in November 2019 recirculated online alongside false claims that they showed a recent seizure. Elements of the photos match images published at the time by local media and government authorities in Myanmar.
“Weapons sent to Sagaing by TNLA were seized,” reads part of the Burmese-language Facebook post uploaded on November 4, 2025, referring to the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) — one of Myanmar’s most powerful ethnic armed groups.
The post includes a compilation of images showing columns of firearms and other materials laid out on the ground with people around them.
Screenshot of false Facebook post taken on November 19, with a red X added by AFP
Since the February 2021 coup, the TNLA has strengthened its control of a swathe of territory in northeastern Shan state, seizing around a dozen key towns and the country’s nearby main ruby-mining hub.
But the group has agreed to withdraw its forces from the mining town of Mogok and a neighbouring town in late October, as a result of a Chinese-brokered ceasefire deal (archived link).
The Myanmar junta has also recaptured key towns along a trade route to China held by rebel groups ahead of elections due to start in December 2025 (archived link).
The military has touted the polls as an opportunity for reconciliation, but analysts say the elections are a fig leaf designed to conceal continuing military rule (archived link).
The false claim has spread elsewhere on Facebook.
However, the images — one of which has been debunked by AFP — previously circulated in a government press release and local media reports in November 2019 on a weapons seizure.
Old photos
A keyword search on Google found a similar photo in a news report by a Burmese media outlet called Democratic Voice of Burma published on November 24, 2019 (archived link).
“Various military weapons and some aircraft missiles were seized from the TNLA,” reads the headline.
Screenshot comparison of the false photo (left) and the picture published by DVB, with corresponding elements highlighted by AFP
A subsequent keyword search found a video published by The Irrawaddy on November 23, 2019 showing the same seizure (archived link).
Screenshot comparisons of photos from the false post (left) and the video published by the Irrawaddy, with corresponding elements highlighted by AFP
Myanmar’s Defense Office also published pictures of the seizure on November 22, 2019, and said in a statement the weapons and munitions were discovered at Homain village following clashes with TNLA forces in the area (archived link).
Other news outlets including BBC, Mizzima and Myanmar Now also reported on the bust and stated that the captured arms were displayed at Homain village, Namhsan (archived links here, here, here and here).
AFP have previously debunked misinformation related to Myanmar unrest here.
