Bu Ri lost a leg to a mine in Myanmar decades ago. More recently, six other members of his family have faced similar tragedies, highlighting the devastation caused by civil war.

On a day filled with danger, John New Min and fellow rebel soldiers worked tirelessly to clear land mines set by Myanmar’s military. These deadly devices were planted near homes, farms, and even churchyards in remote areas of the east.

During a brief respite, Mr. Min walked toward a shady tree but tragically stepped on a mine. The September 2023 explosion hurled him into the air, severing his right leg and leaving him blind.

Mr. Min’s injury marked him as the seventh family member harmed or killed by land mines. His grandfather, an uncle, and a cousin all lost a leg due to military mines. Three more cousins died under similar circumstances.

Bu Ri, 88, the family patriarch, lamented, “From my generation to my grandchildren’s, we are still suffering because of land mines.” He lost his left leg to a mine in the same region 32 years ago.

The threat posed by these explosives, also planted by rebels, has intensified across Myanmar. The civil war, ongoing for six years, has left the country scarred. A December Landmine Monitor report highlighted Myanmar as having 2,029 mine casualties in 2024, marking the highest number worldwide for the second year. Alarmingly, children often fall victim to these deadly devices.

Chaos engulfed Myanmar when the military ousted the democratically elected government in 2021. The junta’s return to power — the norm for much of the country’s history — spurred armed resistance. Faced with resilient rebel forces, the military targeted civilians, launching airstrikes on weddings and temples and planting mines in areas frequented by innocent people.