Explosion occurs at officer’s house in local battalion HQ in Buthidaung

Explosion occurs at officer’s house in local battalion HQ in Buthidaung

Nay Pyi Taw February 28

An explosion occurred at the house of an officer in the local battalion headquarters in Buthidaung Township, Rakhine State,at about 8 am on 26 February.The officer’s wife died of wounds at the scene and the ceiling and windowpanes were shattered.

According to thorough investigation,pieces of plastic conduit pipe,a circuit measuring 2 inches by 1.5 inches, a switch, two electric supply pieces with two Panasonic alkaline AA-size batteries and about 1,600 steel balls were found among the sharpeners. The conduit pipe with 3 inches in diameter and about five inches in length containing gun powder and about 2,000 steel balls seemed to be sealed and attached to a fuse. Presumably, the device like a hand-made mine exploded when it was picked up.

The officer included in the incident was Major Kyaw Swa, and he held a wedding reception together with his wife Daw Nan Moh Moh Zaw on 14 February 2019. On return to the military headquarters, a 4.5-ton FAW vehicle with number plate MDY-9M 1203 driven by U Ye Tun, 53, son of U Kyin Maung together with conductor U Toe Toe San, 29, son of U Than Win, was ordered to transport household furniture of the couple from Nay Pyi Taw to Buthidaung on 21 February.The vehicle arrived at Yathedaung-Buthidaung junction at about 1 pm on 25 February. On the way, two persons in mufti ordered the vehicle to stop around Kyauktan Village at about 4 pm and forced to drive into the jungle, east of the motor road for making inspection. Furthermore,about six armed group members in mufti arrived there to search items aboard the vehicle. Then, the armed group released the vehicle at about 8 pm. The vehicle arrived at the house of Major Kyaw Swa at about 7 am on 26 February. Major Kyaw Swa and servicemen unloaded the furniture from the vehicle into the house. While the wife of the officer took out the household furniture, the explosion happened at about 8 am.

With regard to the mine blast,a file of lawsuit was opened at Nyaungchaung police station of Buthidaung Township, and efforts are being made to arrest the suspects.