Three people seriously injured by landmine explosion in Chin state

Three people were seriously injured by a landmine explosion as they were riding their motorcycles near the Indian border in Myanmar’s northwestern Chin state.

The three locals were traveling to a Seventh-day Adventist Church meeting in a village in the Tedim municipality when the device exploded Monday morning.

Residents said the injured were a 20-year-old woman who received injuries to her leg and chest; a 17-year-old man; and a 20-year-old man. A fourth person traveling with them was uninjured. The locals did not want their names made public.

“The four of them were traveling on two motorcycles,” said a relative of the woman, who also requested anonymity.

“The young woman was seriously injured and can no longer hear. The 17-year-old was injured in the shoulder and the 20-year-old was also seriously injured.

The three were taken across the border for medical treatment in the Indian state of Mizoram, residents said.

The Mountain Eagle Defense Force, a local anti-junta militia that has been fighting the army since August 2022, said it planted the mine. An official, who also declined to be named, said the People’s Defense Force intended to attack junta troops but made no apology for injuring civilians.

“The army could come at any time, so we planted mines,” he said.

“We also put up obstacles to prevent (civilians) from going to this place. The three friends went down to that place without respecting the restrictions. Did you disagree with the actions of (our) revolutionary group?

The militia spokesman also accused the junta of planting land mines around its own military camp in the area.

According to figures compiled by the RFA, 11 civilians have been killed and 20 injured by landmines in Chin state since the army toppled Myanmar’s democratically elected government in February 2021.

Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn.