A 14-year-old boy was killed, and two others were wounded due to the explosion of a remnant wartime bomb in Kyeintali town, Gwa Township, southern Rakhine State.

The deceased victim is a 14-year-old boy from Kyeintali township, and his identity is still being verified. The injured individuals are Maung Aung Thu Soe, aged 14, and Maung Nay Myo Kyaw, also known as Alinsak, who is 13 years old.

Yesterday afternoon, December 20, the three individuals ventured to the mountains close to Kyeintali, where they encountered a bomb and began to handle it. This resulted in an explosion that led to one fatality and severe injuries, as reported by Ko Naing Lin, a member of the Gwa Township War Evacuation Assistance Co-operative, to Narinjara News.

“When they went to the mountains, they found unexploded ordnance. When they played with it, it detonated. It is sad that this happened,” he stated.

He added that the families of both the deceased and injured are also in financial hardship and need medical care.

The frequency of unexploded ordnance detonations in Rakhine State is rising, and the local population is urging the appropriate authorities to clear them at the earliest opportunity.

On the other hand, the AA is engaged in the systematic removal of unexploded ordnance in townships controlled by the AA.

In Rakhine, during the nine-month period from January to September, 17 individuals lost their lives and 72 others sustained injuries due to explosions caused by mines and unexploded ordnance.

The individuals affected and harmed comprise children, adolescents, women, and senior citizens. The incidents took place in Maungdaw, Gwa, Mrauk-U, Taungup, Ann, Pauktaw, Minbya, Kyauktaw, Thandwe, Myebon, and Kyaukphyu townships in Rakhine State.

As per the records from Narinjara, the total count of fatalities and injuries has notably reduced from June to September.