A woman was killed and two others were seriously injured after a local family stepped on a landmine in a plantation near the Union Highway in Tanintharyi Township, according to local sources.
The incident occurred at around 3:00 p.m. on June 19 in a plantation located near the Union Highway between Kanmalaing and Tamokechone villages. A 38-year-old woman from Lettaungyar Village stepped on a planted landmine while searching for vegetables.
The explosion killed the woman instantly. Her 15-year-old son and her niece, who were nearby, suffered serious injuries, a local resident said.
“They were searching for vegetables when it happened. She died at the scene. Her niece was standing close to her and was severely injured. One of her arms was blown off. Her son was behind a bamboo clump, so his injuries were less serious,” a local resident said.
The two injured victims are currently receiving treatment at Tanintharyi Township People’s Hospital.
The site of the explosion, located about 20 minutes by motorcycle from the Union Highway, is an area where both military junta troops and joint revolutionary forces are known to operate.
A local woman said residents are now afraid of landmines and hesitant to return to work in their plantations because such incidents had never occurred in the area before.
“We never had any landmine accidents here before. There were clashes in the past, and both the military and revolutionary groups have been active in the area. But this is the first time something like this has happened, so local people are frightened. No one dares to go back to their plantations,” she said.
According to a report by FE5 Tanintharyi, at least four landmine explosions were recorded in Tanintharyi Region during May.
The report also noted that clashes and airstrikes have increased during this year’s rainy season compared with previous years. Many residents have been forced to flee their homes in difficult weather conditions and are facing shortages of food and medicine, leading to growing health concerns.
