Returning Displaced Woman Loses Both Legs in Nawnghkio Landmine Explosion 

A 32-year-old returnee who fled conflict in northern Shan State’s Nawnghkio Township lost both legs after triggering a landmine while hanging clothes behind her home, local sources and advocacy groups said.

The incident occurred on August 1, 2025, in Mat Lwat Village, located within the Taung Shey village tract of Nawnghkio Township. 

The victim, identified as Ma Cho Thin, was setting up a clothesline behind her house when she stepped on a landmine.

The blast severed both of her legs and left her with severe lacerations on her hands.

Although she has since been discharged from the hospital, Ma Cho Thin told the Ta’ang Women’s Organization (TWO) that her permanent disability has plunged her family into extreme financial distress.

“We had returned from being displaced for only four days. I didn’t even dare to go into the farm fields out of fear of landmines, but I stepped on one right next to the house while hanging clothes,” she said. “Now, only my husband can work. With young children to care for and an elderly mother, our family is struggling terribly to survive.”

It remains unverified which armed group laid the landmine. However, Mat Lwat Village was previously the site of intense fighting between the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Terror military council.