Woman injured in landmine blast while gardening in Rathedaung Twsp

By Admin 24 Jun 2024

DMG Newsroom
24 June 2024, Rathedaung

A 28-year-old woman from Ma Hnyin Taung Village in Arakan State’s Rathedaung Township was injured in a landmine blast near her home on Sunday, according to her relatives.

Ma Khin Hsan New was digging in the ground on the compound of her house to plant vegetables when the blast occurred. She lost her right leg, said a relative.

“She lost her right leg from the knee. She was also injured by shrapnel in her left leg,” said the relative.

The victim was rushed to a nearby clinic.

Locals said the landmine was planted by junta troops who were deployed in Ma Hnyin Taung Village in March.

“Who would think mines were planted in the village? Myanmar military soldiers stayed in the village during the fighting. At that time, villagers were in other places fleeing the fighting,” said a resident.

Locals have called on international organisations to help with landmine clearance as it is believed junta troops regularly planted mines at the scenes of fighting and in forests near villages where they stayed.

The Arakkha Army reportedly cannot implement systematic landmine clearance operations as fighting is still raging in Arakan State.

According to the United League of Arakan/Arakkha Army (ULA/AA), 268 civilians were killed and 640 others injured by junta airstrikes, shelling, raids and landmine blasts in Arakan State and Chin State’s Paletwa Township since November 2023.