Five civilians have been injured in the landmine blasts in Mong Ko area in the northern Shan State.
Pastor U Wa Yaw Zhao Khaung, U Khaung Daung, U Dai Zay, U Yain Yaw, and U Char Laung Phar have been injured after stepping on the landmines at around 11:30 am on January 8.
The injured civilians are currently having emergency medical treatment at a hospital in Mangshi City of China, according to a family member.
“Five people were injured by the mine blast. They are in critical condition. One of the legs of a pastor had to be cut off from the knee. He also received injuries on his face. Another person also received injuries on his face. So, two people received injuries on the face. Another received an injury on the stomach. One person received an injury on the leg. His condition is not critical. They were unconscious when they arrived at the hospital. Now, they’ve regained their conscious,” said the family member.
On condition of anonymity, a resident of Mong Ko said the five villagers stepped on the landmines while they were gathering firewood on January 8.
“They said there were two landmines. Four people stepped on the first mine. The pastor was behind them. He stepped on the second mine while he was trying to help the injured men,” said the resident.
According to him, two out of the five injured villagers are in critical condition.
“Medical treatments couldn’t be given to them in Mong Ko so they were sent to Mangshi,” he explained.
A family member confirmed that Pastor U Wa Yaw Zhao Khaung had one of his legs cut off.
The local resident said he did not know which group set up the landmines.
“We can’t exactly say who set up the landmines. We don’t know. The injured villagers stepped on the mines while they were fetching firewood in their old village, Man Jat,” he added.
Man Jat Village is located two miles from Mong Ko. The residents left the village and migrated to Mong Ko in 2011 due to military tensions between the Tatmadaw and ethnic armed groups.
Although fighting has not broken out in Mong Ko area, local residents said the Tatmadaw and the Northern Alliance (Burma) are active in the area.
Heavy fighting erupted between the Tatmadaw and the Northern Alliance (Burma) in Mong Ko area at the end of 2016.
A child was killed and four people were injured during a mine blast in Mong Paw village-tract under Muse Township in the northern Shan State on December 20.
