Young woman wounded by landmine, two men shot in Mrauk-U District

By Aung Htein & Hnin Nwe 04 Nov 2020

Aung Htein, Hnin Nwe | DMG
4 November 2020, Sittwe

A woman was seriously injured after stepping on a landmine and two men were reportedly shot by the Tatmadaw in Arakan State’s Mrauk-U District over the past two days.

Ma Sandar Aye, 18, of Yokethar village in Kyauktaw Township, was severely injured after encountering a landmine at around 10 a.m. on November 4, according to volunteers who assisted the victim.

“The landmine exploded while the victim, along with four others including her mother, were going to a hill near the village to pick Thinbaw-U [a kind of edible tuber]. The rest of the people were unharmed in the landmine blast,” said U Nyi Pu, a volunteer from a local philanthropic group named Phyusin Myitta.

Ma Sandar Aye suffered serious injuries to her legs and arrangements are being made for the victim to undergo emergency surgery at Kyauktaw Hospital, according to people who are helping the victim.

Meanwhile Ko Myo Naing, 21, and Maung Soe Htet Aung, 18, residents of Kyetyaygyi village in Myebon Township, were wounded after being shot at a security checkpoint on the afternoon of November 3, according to family members.

“Their motorbike was stopped by security personnel from a checkpoint when they came back after buying a guitar string. They were shot by security members as they continued to drive the motorbike,” U Pe Than, an Arakan State lawmaker for Myebon Township, told DMG. “One of them was hospitalised and the other is said to be not in critical condition and is receiving treatment in the village. When we went to the hospital this morning, the patient was in good condition.”

Ko Myo Naing sustained a gunshot wound to his left arm and is being treated at Myebon Hospital, while Maung Soe Htet Aung received a gunshot wound to his right knee, said family members.

“The soldiers came here and told us not to do this again. They [security personnel] also said they would make everything better. His condition is considered not life-threatening,” said a family member of Ko Myo Naing.

In a November 4 statement, the Tatmadaw True News Information Team said security forces in Myebon Township attempted to stop two suspects on a motorcycle travelling from Myebon to Minbya while patrolling the road, but the two suspects did not stop. The two suspects who fled the scene with gunshot wounds drove in the direction of Minbya after shouting at security forces, the statement said.

The statement added that following a tipoff, one of the suspects has had charges filed against him while being treated at Myebon Hospital.

DMG contacted the Myebon Myoma police station, where the Tatmadaw statement said the charges were filed, seeking confirmation of the incident, but was unable to connect with any police officials.

From June to early November, more than 130 civilians were injured in the conflict between the military and the Arakan Army in Arakan State, with the civilian death toll rising by dozens over that period.