AA discovers 78 landmines over two days while clearing mines in Maungdaw

Narinjara News, 23 January, 2026

The Arakan Army (AA) has uncovered 78 landmines within a two-day mine clearance mission in Maungdaw Township, located on the western border of Rakhine State.

The operation took place on January 20 and 21 and included areas around a former military battalion base in Maungdaw Township, as well as roads and the vicinity of the Mya Kan Tha Dam.

According to local sources, the majority of these mines were found around the Mya Kan Tha Dam, which lies at the base of Mayu Mountain and is a significant water source for the entire township of Maungdaw.

Locals also mentioned that the dam is positioned near the communities of Kharay Myaing, Shwe Yin Aye, and Bodhi Kone, where residents rely on forests for their livelihoods. Villagers have avoided these mine-infested areas for their daily work.

One resident from Maungdaw expressed, “The civilian population should steer clear of areas where mines have been located. These sites are very close to the villages. Relevant authorities must ensure the removal of these mines. Those who rely on the forests and hills must take precautions before visiting these regions.”

Community members reported that landmines were intentionally placed within villages, residential zones, and around the last existing Border Guard Police Sub-district No. 5 in Maungdaw Township.

In the Shwe Zar ward of Maungdaw Township, which consists of 13 villages, the highest concentration of landmines was detected, and residents are eager for the mines in the area to be cleared swiftly, as noted by another local.

Residents claim that the Myanmar military and armed groups, such as ARSA, ARA, and RSO, have been careless in laying landmines throughout Maungdaw Township, resulting in innocent locals inadvertently triggering mines and suffering injuries.

On the evening of January 10, a man named Ko Maung Maung Soe, aged 30, was severely injured after stepping on a landmine while returning from logging near the 50th Milestone Gate, close to the Myanmar-Bangladesh border, as he was heading to build a tent at the Bautula Market in Maungdaw Township.

In another incident on December 28, 2025, a young man named Ko Myo Lin Soe stepped on a mine while out hunting for wild chickens close to Milestone 50, also near the Myanmar-Bangladesh border in northern Maungdaw Township, resulting in the amputation of his left leg near the ankle.

Previously, on November 17, at around 4 pm, another young man from Maungdaw Township named U Abu La Tsing, 55, lost his lower right leg after stepping on a mine while at a school near Kywe Tama Village.

On November 14, around 6:30 am, U Daung Rwein, a 42-year-old villager from Khong Daing Village in Maungdaw Township, tragically lost his life after stepping on a mine while cutting bamboo between the Labaw Wa and Than Phra streams.

On September 24, a young individual from Gyit Chaung Village in Maungdaw Township had his right leg amputated above the ankle while he was on his way to Perun Mountain.

Data gathered by Narinjara News Agency reveals that from January 1 to December 31, 2025, a total of 21 civilians lost their lives and 81 were severely injured in Rakhine State as a result of detonations from landmines and other explosive devices.