A 15-year-old child and two 12-year-olds were injured by a hidden landmine in Mobye town in Pekon Township. The children accidentally detonated the hidden explosive device outside the town in southern Shan State on 27 November.
An officer with the Mobye People’s Defence Forces (PDF), which is resisting the dictatorship in the area, told NMG that the children had stepped on the explosive device while bird hunting. He said the army was stationed on the hill and was responsible for placing the explosives.
The 15-year-old is in a coma after sustaining an injury to his head. The other children suffered minor leg injuries, a paramedic with the PDF told NMG. “They’re receiving medical attention in a safe place, but for security reasons we cannot say where it is.”
Since September, the army has been holed up in people’s houses in Mobye town and on the hill, the officer said.
According to volunteers helping civilians displaced by the conflict, at least 4 people have been killed and 35 wounded by regime shelling and landmines in the area. Six of the wounded were minors.
The PDF asked people not to travel between 7pm and 7am and to report to the armed group if they really need to leave.
