Two bomb blasts occurred this morning in Moulmein, say residents. No casualties have been confirmed, but the explosions occurred near government offices, including the Mon State Peace and Development Council (PDC) Office. The blasts took place just a few blocks from each other in Sik Kay Gone quarter, in Moulmein, the capital of Mon State. The first occurred at 9am near the office of the government Forestry Department. Just 20 minutes later, a second bomb went off near the Mor Ya Waddy garden and government offices including a post office, government petrol station and the Mon State PDC Office.

“I was inside my house and then I heard a sound like, ‘Boom!’” a resident of Sik Kay Gone told IMNA. “I was not sure what happened, and then I heard a second sound like, ‘BOOM!’ And it was louder than the first,” continued the source, adding that he was closer to the location of the second blast.
 

IMNA has not been able to confirm the extent of the damage or whether there were any casualties. A source that can closely monitor the most heavily talked about topics in Moulmein because she owns a busy pay phone service, however, said that she had heard no reports of casualties.

Security has been increased following the blast, say residents, who report vehicles being stopped and searched. “There are more security [precautions] now. All the cars and motorcycles are stopped and then they check them,” a resident of Myinetayar quarter, on the other side of the city, told IMNA. “If you drive a motorcycle, they open the seat to check near the petrol tank.”