Three civilians injured by mine blasts in Rathedaung Township

By Win Nyunt 30 Mar 2020

Win Nyunt | DMG
30 March, Sittwe

Three civilians were injured in mine explosions near Ma Nyin Taung village in Arakan State’s Rathedaung Township on March 29, with two of the victims seriously wounded, according to their family members.

U Wai Pan Phyu, 47, U Kyaw Aye Thein, 53, and U Kyaw Win Naing, 40, were injured by twin blasts at about 4 p.m. on Sunday. U Wai Pan Phyu sustained severe injuries on his right leg and left arm, and U Kyaw Aye Thein’s left leg was gravely wounded.

“There is a mountain north of Ma Nyin Taung village. My brother-in-law was collecting firewood while grazing his cattle at the mountain. He was injured by a mine explosion while he was going back carrying firewood,” explained U Soe Win Chay, U Wai Pan Phyu’s in-law.

“Due to the sound of the explosion, U Kyaw Aye Thein and U Kyaw Win Naing from Ma Nyin Taung village came to him and got injured, as another mine exploded. U Kyaw Win Naing’s injuries are not serious.”

The mines exploded about two miles north of Ma Nyin Taung village. Although there has been no recent fighting in the area, clashes occurred there about one month ago, according to locals.

Moreover, a Tatmadaw column had been stationed for about a month near the mountain, according to Amyotha Hluttaw lawmaker U Khin Maung Latt.

DMG phoned Colonel Win Zaw Oo, spokesperson for the military’s Western Command, and Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun, secretary of the Tatmadaw True News Information Team, but they could not be reached for comment.

U Wai Pan Phyu and U Kyaw Aye Thein were sent to the Rathedaung Township hospital and were subsequently transferred to Sittwe General Hospital due to the severity of their injuries. However, they were not admitted to the hospital in the Arakan State capital until about 8 a.m. on March 30, after being interrogated at the Kyauktan checkpoint on the outskirts of Sittwe for about an hour, said the victims’ family members.