An unexploded artillery shell detonated in Khomsone (Kone Sone) village, located in the Narsauk village tract of Lashio Township in Shan State, killing 2 villagers on the spot and seriously injuring 2 others.
At around 9:00 AM on March 23rd, a group of villagers discovered an unexploded artillery shell near a mound on the outskirts of a field, located about a mile from the village. While attempting to transport the ordnance to a nearby farm hut, it suddenly detonated.
A local, who did not want to be named, told the Shan Herald that the explosion resulted in the deaths of two villagers, while two others suffered serious injuries.
"A group of more than 10 villagers, including several women, were transporting a large shell on a tractor trailer. As they traveled, many of the passengers disembarked, leaving only the last four on board when an explosion occurred. Tragically, two individuals were killed instantly, and two others sustained serious injuries”, he said.
Among the two injured youths, one lost an eye and the other suffered a severe chest injury. All four victims of the artillery shell explosion were young people between the ages of 25 and 30.
Furthermore, there are still unexploded ordnance in and around Khomsone village, locals said.
“I'm concerned about the unexploded ordnance still present in the village. Although it's been a week since the fighting ended and the villagers have returned home, there is still a lot of ammunition in the area that did not detonate during the conflict, which poses a significant risk to everyone's safety”, a villager said.
On March 12th, a conflict erupted between the local ethnic armed forces (EAOs) and the Military Council in the vicinity of Khomsan village. As a result of this clash, the residents of Khomsone, as well as those from nearby Konemon and Hparpalan villages, fled their homes from March 12th to 17th and sought refuge at Wai Lu Wun Monastery in Nampawng.
The villagers have since returned to their homes, but they remain apprehensive as unexploded ordnances and landmines are still present in the vicinity of their villages.
The Myanmar Landmine Monitor's report on the situation up until 2020 states that there were 368 deaths or injuries caused by landmines and unexploded ordnance. Among these cases, Shan State had the highest number, with 121 reported incidents.
Broken down by region, landmine-related casualties accounted for 42 percent in Shan State, 12 percent in Sagaing Region, 11 percent in Rakhine State, 10 percent in Kachin State, and 7 percent in Karen State.
The Myanmar Landmine Monitor also recommended that conducting awareness activities to reduce the risk of landmines in conflict areas with the official approval of national authorities could further decrease the number of landmine casualties.
The area where the artillery shell explosion occurred is also active with local EAOs such as the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and Shan State Army (SSA), in addition to the Military Council.
