Southern Laos Landmine Blast Leaves Six with Serious Injuries
CISR
This headline is brought to you by the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery (CISR) which works to support resilience and recovery in global communities affected by war and conflict.
(Borneo Bulletin) In Viengxay village of Phouvong district, Attapeu province in southern Laos, a landmine detonated while people were preparing land for cassava planting, resulting in six serious injuries on January 11. Among the wounded were three females and three males, including two children. This incident adds to the ongoing issue of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Laos.
From January to November 2023, 10 people died in 18 UXO-related accidents nationwide. Between 1996 and February 2023, 1,808,254 UXO devices were removed and detonated, including 1,056,393 cluster bombs, 4,336 large bombs, and 2,456 land mines. The remnants of UXO pose a significant obstacle to agricultural land use and socio-economic development in Laos, stemming from the extensive ordnance dropped during 1964-1973, where over two million tonnes failed to explode.