Three bomb blasts near Maungdaw Three-Mile checkpoint

26 Aug 2019

Cha Lu Aung | DMG
26 August, Maungdaw

A landmine explosion occurred near a border guard’s checkpoint on Maungdaw-Buthidaung road in the night of 25 August.

A local’s vehicle heading to Maungdaw experienced the blast and two other landmines exploded, the driver Ko Mae Maung said.

The blast occurred near a Three-mile checkpoint and he overtook a military convoy that were stopped on the road, the driver said.

“I saw about ten military trucks stopped at the checkpoint. It was past 8 p.m. So, I continued on my trip without waiting for the convoy to move because I was worried that I would not be allowed to pass under the existing curfew order. When I arrived near a small bridge off the checkpoint, a landmine explode on the right side of the road,” he said.

“When I drove on the left side of the road, two others landmines exploded. Nothing happened to my vehicle because the explosions were not powerful,” he added.

The mine explosion occurred between Three-mile BGF checkpoint and No. 2 Border Guard Force.

“I overtook the military convoy. I think they detonated mine because they thought that my vehicle was from the military. The military might stop their vehicles because they want to make positive identification checks on all vehicles,” Ko Mae Maung said.

Maungdaw district administrator U Soe Aung confirmed the landmine blast and he said that there was no report of destruction.

“Two explosions occurred, security measures are being conducted as usual,” U Soe Aung said.

The DMG phoned the AA for comment regarding the mine blast, they said they had no involvement with the explosions at all.

 “We did not do it. I thought the military did it with the intention to instill fear among people,” the AA’s spokesperson Khaing Thukha said.

The DMG phoned the spokesperson from the Tatmadaw, but could not reach them.

Landmine explosions occurred on 16 August between Bawdigone and Shwe Yin Aye village in Maungdaw Township and on 11 August near Shwe Yin Aye village.

Landmine explosions occurred often in Maungdaw Township in August making locals anxious about their safety.