Viral Video Claiming Myanmar Airstrikes at Teknaf Border Disproven as Old Footage of Fuel Depot Fire

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A video circulating widely on social media, purportedly showing a recent airstrike on the Myanmar side of the Teknaf border, has been debunked as digital misinformation. The 21-second clip, which features thick black smoke billowing from burning vessels and port infrastructure, gained significant traction after being posted by the Facebook page “Crack Platoon Bangladesh,” where it amassed over 150,000 views and thousands of reactions.

The footage gained further credibility after being broadcast by outlets including India’s Republic TV and various Bangladeshi online news portals. Consequently, the video was reposted by more than 50 social media pages and individual profiles, triggering widespread alarm among residents living near the Teknaf frontier.

However, a forensic investigation into the footage reveals that the video is unrelated to current tensions along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border. A reverse image search traces the original, longer version of the footage to April 21 of this year. Reports from international news organizations, including Turkey’s Anadolu Agency and India’s Firstpost, confirm that the footage depicts a catastrophic fuel tanker explosion at the Homalin river port in Myanmar’s Sagaing region, not a military airstrike in the Rakhine state bordering Bangladesh.

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According to those reports, the incident occurred during a fuel transfer operation, causing a fire that spread to surrounding vessels and port facilities, resulting in at least two deaths and eleven injuries. The Homalin port is situated in the Sagaing region, geographically distant from the conflict-ridden Rakhine state where recent military engagements have taken place.

While there have been legitimate reports of recent airstrikes in the Maungdaw township of Rakhine state—where Arakan Army positions have been targeted by the Myanmar military—news outlets have clarified that these events have no connection to the viral video. The footage currently being shared is an old clip of an industrial accident, erroneously repurposed to fuel panic regarding the ongoing security situation at the Teknaf border.