Explosions hit Myanmar's biggest city, no injuries
Source: (AP) – 2 days ago
YANGON, Myanmar — A series of seven small explosions hit the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar's biggest city, on Thursday, but no casualties were reported.
An official said five blasts went off at the Hlaing Tharyar industrial zone in western Yangon and a separate blast happened at another industrial zone in Shwepaukan on the city's northern outskirts in the pre-dawn hours. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.
The seventh explosion occurred around 10 a.m. Thursday in the Mingaladon Industrial Park, also in northern Yangon, he said.
The official said the blasts of small, handmade explosive devices caused minor damage, but no injuries. There were no immediate claims of responsibility, or suspects.
However, the timing of the blasts suggested they could be linked to a political protest. Friday is the second anniversary of the start of massive but short-lived pro-democracy protests in Yangon led by Buddhist monks and quashed with force by the ruling military a few days later. It is also the 21st anniversary of the seizure of power by the military to quash an even bigger, earlier pro-democracy movement.
Friday will also see lawyers for detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi file an appeal against her latest sentence to 1 1/2 years of house arrest.
Terrorism is rare but not unknown in military-ruled Myanmar. The government often blames bombings on ethnic militants and other opponents of the regime, though rarely offers convincing evidence.
Most established opposition groups deny any involvement, but there are activists who privately express frustration at the failure of nonviolent protest to push the junta toward restoring democracy.
Myanmar's last known bombing incident occurred in March at a guest house in Yangon, killing a man and wounding three other people.
YANGON, Myanmar — A series of seven small explosions hit the outskirts of Yangon, Myanmar's biggest city, on Thursday, but no casualties were reported.
An official said five blasts went off at the Hlaing Tharyar industrial zone in western Yangon and a separate blast happened at another industrial zone in Shwepaukan on the city's northern outskirts in the pre-dawn hours. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.
The seventh explosion occurred around 10 a.m. Thursday in the Mingaladon Industrial Park, also in northern Yangon, he said.
The official said the blasts of small, handmade explosive devices caused minor damage, but no injuries. There were no immediate claims of responsibility, or suspects.
However, the timing of the blasts suggested they could be linked to a political protest. Friday is the second anniversary of the start of massive but short-lived pro-democracy protests in Yangon led by Buddhist monks and quashed with force by the ruling military a few days later. It is also the 21st anniversary of the seizure of power by the military to quash an even bigger, earlier pro-democracy movement.
Friday will also see lawyers for detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi file an appeal against her latest sentence to 1 1/2 years of house arrest.
Terrorism is rare but not unknown in military-ruled Myanmar. The government often blames bombings on ethnic militants and other opponents of the regime, though rarely offers convincing evidence.
Most established opposition groups deny any involvement, but there are activists who privately express frustration at the failure of nonviolent protest to push the junta toward restoring democracy.
Myanmar's last known bombing incident occurred in March at a guest house in Yangon, killing a man and wounding three other people.
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