Min Tun — Two villagers from Kan Thit village in Ponnagyun Township were seriously injured by a pair of landmine blasts on May 24, according to U Kan Tun Aung, a 10-household head from the village.

Forty-year-old U Htwee Aung was the first casualty, stepping on a landmine when he went to Minma Mountain to collect firewood at about 1 p.m. U Aung Zan Wai, 42, was wounded by a second landmine when he was among a group of villagers who went to assist the injured U Htwee Aung.

“He was struck by a landmine when he went to cut wood. So, villagers went there to help him. Then another one was hit by a landmine,” U Kan Tun Aung said. “They were not hit by landmines at the same time.”

The two men were sent to Ponnagyun Hospital for medical treatment.

“Both of them lost their left leg, cut off from the calf,” said U Kan Tun Aung.

Amyotha Hluttaw lawmaker U Khin Maung Latt confirmed the two landmine injuries outside of Kan Thit village.

Conflict between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army in Arakan and southern Chin states has resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties and other forms of collateral damage due to landmine explosions, stray heavy weapons and small arms fire, and other combat-adjacent violence.