3 Injured by Grenade Blast in Taunggyi, Police Say

By Lawi Weng & Nang Seng Nom 26 October 2015

RANGOON — Three people were wounded and one car was damaged by a small blast on Sunday night in Taunggyi, the capital of eastern Burma’s Shan State.

Police told The Irrawaddy on Monday that the explosion was caused by a small grenade thrown onto the street from a motorbike at 8:30pm. A suspect has been identified but is still at large, Taunggyi police officer Aung Aung said.

Two men injured by the blast are being treated at a local hospital, while a third suffered only a minor injury and is recovering at his home.

Sunday’s blast was the latest sign of unrest to hit the town, a central Shan hub near the famed Inle Lake.

Further northeast in the state, the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) is still in active conflict with the Burma Army, which rebels say has made recent advances on their headquarters in Wan Hai.

Fighting erupted between the SSA-N and government troops on Oct. 6, causing some 3,000 civilians to flee. Many took refuge with relatives, while others are still sheltering at a Buddhist monastery in Mong Hsu Township.

Last week, state newspaper The Global New Light of Myanmar reported that government troops had clashed with the SSA-N a total of 37 times from Oct. 6-19.

The SSA-N, which was not among the signatories of a ceasefire agreement reached between the government and eight non-state armed groups on Oct. 15, has sent a letter to Burma’s vice president Sai Mauk Kham requesting that the government stop all military operations against the group.

“To be able to solve political problems by using political and peaceful means, we humbly request the immediate halt of the military operations near the SSA-N headquarters,” the letter said. “In the case that you prefer to use military force to solve political problems, you should inform us that you have chosen to do so.”