Landmine kills one child, wounds four others in Mrauk-U Township

By Hnin Nwe 06 Mar 2020

Hnin Nwe/DMG
6 March, Mrauk-U

A child was reportedly killed and four others wounded in a landmine blast near Paung Toke Muslim village in Arakan State’s Mrauk-U Township, according to locals.

The explosion occurred on the morning of March 6 while the five children were herding livestock in a pasture about one mile from Paung Toke, village administrator U Shin Chue said.

“They were sitting after they herded their cattle when the landmine exploded,” the village administrator told DMG.

A 12-year-old boy named Maung Moe Shay was pronounced dead on the spot. Four other boys identified as Maung Ar Du Choke, 11, from Paung Toke village, and Maung Ardu Mawtalaik, 14, Maung Mant Sha, 11, and Maung Ar Jaw Maung Kam, 11, all three from from Balone Taung village, sustained minor injuries to their hands and legs.

The body of the deceased child was taken to Paung Toke for cremation, according to the village administrator.

Among the injured boys, Maung Ar Du Choke was hospitalized with multiple injuries and is receiving medical treatment at Myaung Bway Hospital, while the remaining children were sent to a nearby rural healthcare center in Laung Kyet village, U Shin Chue added.

DMG attempted to contact the Tatmadaw’s spokespersons to seek confirmation of Friday’s mine blast, but their mobile phones were switched off.

The number of civilian casualties amid conflict between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army in Arakan State over the past year has topped 130 killed and over 360 wounded, according to figures compiled by the Arakan Students Union (Universities-Yangon).