Arakan News Agency
Two sources from the Government of Bangladesh said that three days ago, Myanmar had laid landmines across a section of its border with Bangladesh, adding that the purpose might be to prevent the return of the Rohingya Muslims who had fled violence in Myanmar.
The two sources, who are directly aware of the situation, but asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter, said that Bangladesh would make a formal protest against the laying of landmines very close to the border.
After the Rohingya rebels attacked the security forces in Myanmar on 25th August, the army launched a campaign that killed at least 3000 Rohingya people and nearly 200,000 Rohingyas fled to neighboring Bangladesh; resulting in a major humanitarian crisis.
“They are laying landmines on their land along the barbed-wire fence,” one source said, among a series of border pillars. The two sources said that Bangladesh was informed of the mines order mainly through graphic evidence and surveillance personnel.
“Their forces also saw three or four groups working near the barbed-wire fence and putting something on the ground,” one source said. “We then confirmed through our monitors that they were laying landmines.”
The sources did not say whether the groups wore uniforms, but added they were confident they were not Rohingya gunmen.
Munther al-Hasan Khan, a border police officer in Bangladesh, told Reuters earlier that two explosions were heard on Tuesday on the Myanmar side after two blasts on Monday sparked speculation that Myanmar troops had laid landmines.
Khan said a boy lost his leg on Tuesday near a border crossing and was then taken to Bangladesh for treatment, while another boy sustained minor injuries, adding that the explosion may have been caused by a mine explosion.
Two refugees told Reuters they had seen members of the Myanmar army around the site in the run-up to the two explosions, which occurred at around 2.25 pm.
The two sources, who are directly aware of the situation, but asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter, said that Bangladesh would make a formal protest against the laying of landmines very close to the border.
After the Rohingya rebels attacked the security forces in Myanmar on 25th August, the army launched a campaign that killed at least 3000 Rohingya people and nearly 200,000 Rohingyas fled to neighboring Bangladesh; resulting in a major humanitarian crisis.
“They are laying landmines on their land along the barbed-wire fence,” one source said, among a series of border pillars. The two sources said that Bangladesh was informed of the mines order mainly through graphic evidence and surveillance personnel.
“Their forces also saw three or four groups working near the barbed-wire fence and putting something on the ground,” one source said. “We then confirmed through our monitors that they were laying landmines.”
The sources did not say whether the groups wore uniforms, but added they were confident they were not Rohingya gunmen.
Munther al-Hasan Khan, a border police officer in Bangladesh, told Reuters earlier that two explosions were heard on Tuesday on the Myanmar side after two blasts on Monday sparked speculation that Myanmar troops had laid landmines.
Khan said a boy lost his leg on Tuesday near a border crossing and was then taken to Bangladesh for treatment, while another boy sustained minor injuries, adding that the explosion may have been caused by a mine explosion.
Two refugees told Reuters they had seen members of the Myanmar army around the site in the run-up to the two explosions, which occurred at around 2.25 pm.
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