A 4-year-old child died on the spot when an old remnant bomb exploded in Wet Kyein (Mro) village, located in the northern part of Maungdaw Township in Rakhine State.

The four-year-old child who passed away was Maung Pai Way. He was the son of U Maung Po and resided in Wet Kyein village.

According to a resident of Wet Kyein village, the boy discovered an old remnant bomb while playing near the edge of the forest, which was approximately 100 feet away from his house, around 4:00 pm on May 3. Unfortunately, when he brought the bomb home, an explosion occurred on the stairs, resulting in his death.

"The bomb exploded when he got home and went up the stairs. His mother was not at home. His father was also working on the hillside farm. The child was one of three brothers, and the rest of the children were sitting safely beneath the house. Tragically, the child did not survive the explosion. In the aftermath, the other children were warned to stay away from the forest and not to play in its vicinity, as there may still be unexploded bombs in the area," he said.

The child was buried at the village cemetery around 10 am on May 4.

According to the locals, the old remnant bomb was left behind during the resurgence of the conflict in 2022 between the Arakan Army (AA) and the Myanmar military.

The residents reported that on November 10, 2022, at approximately 3:00 pm, the Arakan Army (AA) and the Military Council troops engaged in a battle for around thirty minutes in the mountains located between Wet Kyein Village and Yan Aung Pyin Village in Maungdaw Township.

As a result of the battle, some artillery shells hit Yan Aung Pyin village, causing damage to two houses, which were destroyed.

The residents currently express concerns about their safety due to the presence of military weapons remnants around the village, which they consider a potential threat to their lives. They are urging for the immediate clearance of these remnants to ensure their safety.

Following the temporary cessation of fighting in Rakhine, fourteen others sustained injuries and seven people lost their lives, including five teenage children who were gathering firewood in nearby villages and forests. They fell victim to the explosions of landmines and other remnants of war weapons that had been planted during the fighting.