Child and Two Women Injured by Landmine in Mawkmai Township

Child and Two Women Injured by Landmine in Mawkmai Township

Three civilians, one of whom was a child, were injured by a landmine in the Kadu Gyi area of Mawkmai Township, Langkho (Linkhay) District, Shan State, as they were searching for food in the forest.

On the morning of April 18, a child and 2 women stepped on a landmine while hunting for food in the forest, the area where the fighting between the Pa-O National Liberation Army (PNLO/PNLA) and the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) is ongoing.

"When they were searching for food in the forest, they were struck by a landmine. One of the women stepped on a landmine, while the other two were hit by them. An 8-year-old boy was also injured in the incident," a community official told the Shan Herald on condition of anonymity.

The civilians who stepped on the landmine were two women in their 40s and an 8-year-old boy from Yankin village. They stepped on a landmine on the mountain near Nampartet village.

According to residents, the PNLO/PNLA is providing medical assistance to civilians who have been injured by a landmine and are currently transporting them to receive treatment.

The community official informed the Shan Herald that the landmine explosion site is in an area where the RCSS/SSA and PNLO/PNLA forces are currently moving, and there are military tensions between the two factions.

"There has been persistent military tension on the ground between the two forces since last week's skirmish. The two forces are currently moving around the area where the landmine explosion occurred," he continued.

The identity of the armed forces behind the landmine explosion is still undetermined, he remarked.

The ethnic armed forces' practice of laying landmines has endangered the lives of local civilians, prompting them to demand the installation of markers to indicate their placement.

"There was a skirmish between the two forces (RCSS and PNLA) and this landmine explosion happened. Whether it stems from dissatisfaction between the two forces or a desire to harm innocent civilians, such actions are unacceptable.

To prevent civilian casualties, it's crucial for the forces to mark landmines, allowing people to safely navigate their surroundings. The current situation has left many afraid to go hillside farming or go out for food," a man over 30 years old told the Shan Herald.

A clash between RCSS/SSA and PNLO/PNLA occurred near Nampartet village in Narhee village-tract, Kadu Gyi region, Mawkmai Township, on April 3, which led to casualties on both sides.

The clash also forced locals to flee into the forest to avoid the conflict.

There was also a clash between RCSS and PNLO in the Kadu Gyi area of Mawkmai Township in 2022.

March 25, 2024
Resistance forces have seized 65 Junta bases, camps, and outposts since the beginning of the '...
March 22, 2024
The Junta is deploying jet fighters to carry out airstrikes in the intense fighting zones of...
March 20, 2024
Following a plenary meeting, the 7 ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) signatories to the...
SSPP and RCSS Photo: Myanmar Times
March 19, 2024
Hurn Kayang — The two Shan armies have faced significant criticism on account of their covert...