Explosions Shake Parts of Moulmein

By THE IRRAWADDY

Three bomb blasts shook parts of Moulmein, the capital of Mon State, on Wednesday. No casualties were reported, the state-run Myanmar Alin newspaper said on Thursday.

The blasts occurred three days after a small explosive device was found in the roof of a lavatory of a train in Naypyidaw-Pyinmana Station.

Reporting on the find, the state-run newspaper The New Light of Myanmar claimed insurgent groups had assigned two terrorists to plant bombs in Naypyidaw, Rangoon, Mandalay and other major cities, with the aim of provoking public panic and causing casualties.

One of Burma’s most active armed groups, the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front—known as the “student army”—released a statement on Monday denying it had anything to do with the explosions.

The first two Moulmein explosions occurred within half an hour of each other on Wednesday morning in a drain at the roadside in the city’s Shwe Taung Ward and near the government office in Sit Kare Gone Ward, Myanmar Alin said.

The third blast occurred on Wednesday evening near the office of the International Organization for Migration in Mayan Gone Ward.

According to a Rangoon based reporter, security has been stepped up on roads on the outskirts of Burma’s former capital and check points have been set up. Private vehicles and taxis are being stopped and their drivers questioned.