2 IDPs Injured after Stepping on Landmine in Pinlaung, Shan State

Two IDPs stepped on a landmine in Sing Khun Village, Pinlaung Township, Pa-O Self-Administered Zone, southern Shan State, on the morning of September 22.

The incident occurred when Daw Nang Mu, 43, and Khun Win Zaw, 31, who had fled Sing Khun Village due to fighting in Pinlaung, were returning to their home in Taung Mae Thin Village when they stepped on a landmine in the ground floor of their house, and are having difficulty paying for the medical treatment.

“When we came back to look, our house was gone. It had been burned down. There was nothing left. The grass was already thick. His brother’s house was made of brick, so it didn’t catch fire. When they went inside, nothing happened. When they came out, he went in front and stepped on the ground floor of the house,” the victim’s husband told the Ta’ang Women’s Association.

The injured Daw Nang Mu, who suffered a concussion due to the mine, has both eyes damaged and a scar on her left leg. She is currently receiving treatment at Sut San Htun Hospital in Taunggyi.

Similarly, Khun Win Zaw, who suffered a facial injury, was treated at Saung Pyaung Hospital. Both of their houses were burned down, and they need help with medical expenses.

Pinlaung Township is an area where the Karenni National Defense Force (KNDF), Pa-O National Army (PNA), souther Shan State Alliance Army, PDF forces, and the Terror Military Council are active.