A bomb exploded in Hpakant in Kachin State on Tuesday leaving two people injured, according to locals.
Hpung Hseng, a local church leader and charity worker, said a father and daughter travelling on a moped were hit by the blast, which happened in front of the Jade City Hotel in the jade-mining town.
“I was across the Uru Creek when I heard a loud bang at about 3:30pm and saw a plume of smoke rising from the ground, but I was too scared to go and check immediately,” he said.
“According to bystanders, it was a bomb explosion, and a father and daughter travelling on a moped were injured – the father had a blast injury to the ear and is now unable to hear anything. His daughter sustained shrapnel injuries but her condition is not as serious as her father’s.”
The identities of the victims have not been disclosed.
[related]
Hpung Hseng said that there was no notable destruction of property.
Police in the town have since increased security in the streets, but have so far been unavailable for comment.
Hpakant’s government administration office confirmed a bomb explosion took place, but could not provide further details.
On 15 January, four people were injured in a grenade attack on a police station in the village of Lawng Hkang near Hpakant. The police station chief told DVB that the four, all family members of police officers, were injured when unknown assailants on a motorbike hurled a hand grenade into the station’s compound.
Fierce fighting also broke out around Hpakant on 15 January between Burmese government forces and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), following a series of incidents, including the KIA arrest of three police officers and a regional government minister.