Mine event in Thandwe Township, Thit Kauk Taw area, Myanmar on Mon 26th October 2026

A boy was seriously injured when a landmine planted by the military dictatorship's forces exploded in Thandwe Township, Rakhine State, according to local residents.

The injured person was Maung Lin Htet Paing, a 12-year-old boy, the son of U Nyi Lay from Thit Kauk Taw Village in Thandwe Township.

A male resident from the Thandwe area said that at around 3:00 p.m. on October 26, the child was injured when a mine previously planted by the military exploded after he handled it by hand near the foot of Kyauk Hpayaung Mountain, located to the west of Thit Kauk Taw Village in Thandwe Township. Several of his fingers were severed in the explosion.

"Previously, the military council forces were stationed near Kyauk Hpayaung Mountain. There are also landmines there. There are still unexploded remnants of war left behind. The child did not recognize that it was a weapon or a mine and handled it, causing it to explode. It injured his right hand and four fingers were severed. You could say he was fortunate not to lose his life."

A male humanitarian worker from Gwa pointed out that children under the age of 18 make up a large proportion of those most frequently affected by landmine and unexploded ordnance explosions in Rakhine State, and that effective awareness-raising programs on unexploded ordnance and landmines should be conducted.

"Among those who unknowingly handle or play with mines and unexploded ordnance, the majority are children who have not yet reached adulthood. I do not know whether it is due to a lack of awareness. One thing is accidentally stepping on a landmine because it cannot be seen, but playing with or handling unexploded bombs left behind from the war is probably due to a severe lack of awareness. It should not be limited to distributing pamphlets. Awareness campaigns should also be carried out through schools and through the relevant local administrators."

The injured child had accompanied people who were going to observe the Buddhist Sabbath at the foot of Kyauk Hpayaung Mountain, west of Thit Kauk Taw Village, on the Full Moon Day of Thadingyut, and was injured in this manner later in the afternoon.