A terrible explosion occurred in a village controlled by the rebels in the northeastern part of Myanmar. At least 55 people were killed and more than 70 people were injured in this incident. The accident happened in Kaongtat village of Namkham district of Shan province on the border with China. The rebel camp said the incident took place when an explosive device stored in a house detonated accidentally.
The area is under the control of the Tang National Liberation Army (TNLA). The rebels have been in conflict with Myanmar’s junta for a long time. A loud explosion was heard in a house in the TNLA-controlled village of Kwangtat on Sunday. 55 people including 25 women were killed on the spot. The death toll is expected to rise as more than 70 people are injured. The blast was so intense that around 100 houses in the vicinity were damaged. TNLA claimed that the accident was caused by an explosive device used to break rock in the mine.
According to the BBC, it is initially suspected that the explosion was caused by an airstrike in the area. However, the TNLA later clarified in a statement that it was an accident and not an airstrike. In 2021, the military seized power in Myanmar in a military coup. Since then the country has been plagued by civil war. Thousands of people have been killed in more than five years of conflict between the military junta and rebel groups in the country.