State media: ‘Explosive triggered by ARSA’ kills two in Maungdaw Twsp

By Cha Lu Aung 31 Mar 2020

Cha Lu Aung | DMG

March 31, Maungdaw

The government-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported that two men were killed and three others were injured by an explosive triggered by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on March 30 in Arakan State’s Maungdaw Township.

A group of a dozen men were reported to have stopped their motorbikes between Kha Maung Seik and Aung Zu villages on Monday morning. They were on foot checking bird traps in the woods nearby when the explosive was triggered and the group came under attack by small arms fire, according to the state-run daily. 

The attack reportedly killed U Kyaw Thein Maung, 35, and U Maung Mae, 20, as well as injuring three people. The wounded are being treated at Maungdaw Hospital.

The Global News Light of Myanmar report offered no information on how it was determined that ARSA was behind the attack, in a region where multiple armed groups are active.

“We parked our motorbikes under a tree. The mine exploded while we went into the jungle,” Ko Maung Chay, who was injured in the blast, told DMG. “Two people were killed and left behind, and three people were injured and brought to Maungdaw Hospital. We saw that our motorbikes were torched. The group had lots of members and fired at us with guns. But we didn’t see who they were.”