Minbya man loses legs in landmine blast

By Admin 26 Dec 2023

DMG Newsroom
26 December 2023, Minbya

An ethnic Chin man in Minbya, Arakan State, was severely injured on Monday in a landmine blast, losing both his legs, according to local residents.

The 40-year-old victim has been identified as U Ko Chin, a resident of Autywarpaing Ward in Minbya, who on December 25 stepped on a landmine believed to have been planted by regime soldiers.

“He is a mentally-ill man. He stepped on a landmine while going around. He is said to be in critical condition and lost his legs,” said a Minbya resident.

U Ko Chin is currently being treated at Minbya Hospital and his condition is considered life-threatening due to lack of medicine, according to sources close to the hospital.

Junta soldiers have been stationed at Kyein Taung Pagoda in Minbya since 2019.

Another man in Minbya was severely injured on December 15 in a landmine blast near a police station, losing one of his legs.

Elsewhere, two local men from Wetyu Village in Myebon Township were severely injured in a landmine explosion on December 19. One of the two men lost a leg and the other man sustained injuries to his eyes.

Locals are worried about their safety as civilian casualties have continued to rise due largely to the junta’s indiscriminate use of heavy weapons and the threat of landmines since renewed fighting between the military and Arakan Army (AA) began on November 13.

“Some residents have been injured in landmine blasts in urban areas. I had not heard of these kinds of incidents [in the past]. We are worried about the safety of the children due to the risks of unexploded ordnance,” said a local woman in Minbya.

Landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERWs) often cause civilian casualties in conflict zones, with children the most vulnerable to their dangers.