KUALA TERENGGANU: Three soldiers suffered injuries on their leg, abdomen and chest from gunshots when a weapon went off while one of them was cleaning it at the Seberang Takir army camp here yesterday.
A source said the three, aged between 19 and 21 and served as privates at the 18th Battalion of the Malay Army Regiment, had just finished shooting training when the incident happened at about 3.30pm.
It is understood that one of the soldiers was cleaning a weapon with the other two nearby.
"While he was cleaning the weapon, it went off suddenly and the shrapnel hit him on the leg while the other two were hit on their abdomen and chest," the source said yesterday.
The source said the three soldiers were taken to the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital (HSNZ) in army ambulance.
It is understood that the soldier with the injured leg is now stable and being treated at a normal ward of the hospital.
"The other two soldiers are still being treated at the emergency ward of the hospital," the source said.
When contacted, battalion commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Mahamad Fazli Mat Idris confirmed the incident but declined to give details.
"We will carry out an investigation into the incident," he said.
Meanwhile, Terengganu Criminal Investigations Department chief Assistant Commissioner Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Hamzah said police had yet to receive any report on the incident.
"It is an internal case which will be investigated by the army," he said when contacted.