An explosion of stored mining explosives in Myanmar's Shan state resulted in at least 46 deaths, including six children, and over 70 injuries, according to rescue workers. The Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) confirmed the blast occurred in Namhkam district, destroying homes and prompting emergency response. The incident highlights the dangers of unregulated mining in conflict zones.
FILE PHOTO: A soldier from the Karen National Liberation Army carries an RPG launcher at a Myanmar military base at Thingyan Nyi Naung village on the outskirts of Myawaddy, the Thailand- Myanmar border town under the control of a coalition of rebel forces led by the Karen National Union, in Myanmar, April 15, 2024.
REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. YANGON: A blast in northern Myanmar killed dozens of people on Sunday , two rescue workers said, with rebels controlling the region saying it was caused by the accidental detonation of mining explosives.
One first responder in Shan state's Namhkam district, where the blast occurred, said 46 people were killed, including six children, and more than 70 others were injured. The massive explosion destroyed many houses and injured people were transported to a local hospital, said the emergency worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.
Another rescuer, who also asked not to be named, said the death toll was higher, at 59 killed, and bodies were collected by emergency personnel for cremation. Myanmar has been mired in a civil war since the military grabbed power in a 2021 coup, with the armed forces fighting an array of pro-democracy guerrillas and powerful ethnic minority armed groups.
The Ta'ang National Liberation Army , one of the country's most powerful ethnic minority factions, said the"accidental explosion" of stored explosives used in mining and stone quarrying detonated at around 12.00 pm on Sunday in Namhkam.
"Because of this explosion, many local villagers lost their lives and suffered injuries and damage to their homes," the TNLA said in a statement, without giving a specific toll. The explosives belonged to its economic department, and the exact cause of the blast was under investigation, the group said. Many rebel groups in Myanmar rely on mining of precious minerals to fund their campaigns against the military, with lax safety measures making mine collapses and other accidents common.
The country's borderlands are home to a myriad of ethnic minority armed groups, many of which have battled the military since independence from Britain in 1948 over autonomy and control of lucrative resources. The so-called Three Brotherhood Alliance of ethnic minority armed groups - made up of the TNLA, the Arakan Army and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army - But in June that year, the TNLA launched fresh attacks in Shan state and the neighbouring Mandalay region.
That summer the rebels captured the northern ruby-mining town of Mogok, with the TNLA driving the opposition offensive. Then in October last year, the TNLA said it had agreed to a withdrawal from Mogok, which was mediated by China. Beijing is a key power broker in Myanmar's civil war, analysts say, supporting both rebels and the military on a sliding scale according to its economic and security interests.
Please follow us on Google to support usMyanmar Explosion TNLA Shan State Mining
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Myanmar's junta chief turned president heads to India, with an eye on ChinaBANGKOK – Less than two months after he completed a carefully engineered transition from Myanmar's junta chief to become president, Min Aung Hlaing will fly to India on an official visit on Saturday (May 30), his first overseas visit since taking the civilian role.
Read more »
Israel Launches Strikes Across South LebanonIsrael launched strikes across south Lebanon on Saturday after ordering evacuations from more than a dozen locations, wounding two soldiers in the process.
Read more »
Crash kills 5 in Virginia including family of 4 travelling to wedding. Bus driver chargedA family of four from Massachusetts who were killed when a bus crashed into multiple vehicles in Virginia were travelling to a wedding with a carload of homemade desserts for the celebration.The family wedding will go forward Sunday (May 31) in South Carolina, but it also will be a time to mourn the loss of Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev and...
Read more »