Landmine explosion kills one and injuries other four in Kyikemayaw

February 21, 2025

HURFOM: At about 2 pm on February 19^th, 2025, five family members of migrant workers from Pauk Taw village, Kyikemayaw Township Mon State found a landmine on their way to the rubber plantation and picked up to their workplace.

The family members were afraid of informing about the landmine to the authorities and intended to destroy the landmine by themselves. Then, they hit the landmine with hammer and the landmine exploded. The explosion killed one of the family members and injured other four members.

“If they informed the junta about the landmine, they would be accused of having connection with the resistance forces. If they informed the resistance forces about the landmine, they would be accused of being military informants. So they didn’t tell anyone about the landmine and want to destroy it secretly. Then, they hit the landmine with hammer,” said a local villager.

The explosion killed 45-year-old man and injured two 43-year-old women and other two 20-year-old men.

“The deceased man was cremated today (on February 20^th). Other injured family members have treated themselves at home. Currently, no one helps them,” said another villager.

Both military junta and resistance forces have been active around Pauk Taw village and the local villagers thought the landmine was planted by the military junta.

“The village is nearby the stream and the junta’s troops usually come to the village by boat. Some landmine dropped form the boat and sunk into the mud. The resistance forces rarely use landmine (in this area),” said a villager who lives nearby Pauk Taw village.

On January 11^th, 2025, a couple stepped on landmine at the entrance road of Ma Yan Gone village, Kyikemayaw Township and the explosion killed the husband and injured the wife.

In January, 2025, the landmine explosion took place at least four times in the HURFOM’s project area and injured 12 innocent civilians.

Written by Modinator · Filed Under News