Several explosions, including one targeting the office of the Young Men’s Buddhist Association (YMBA), were reported in downtown Yangon on Tuesday afternoon.
On social media, the YMBA said that someone threw a handmade grenade at its office in Pazundaung Township at around 1:45pm. No one was injured in the attack, it added.
A local resident who spoke to Myanmar Now confirmed that there had been a loud explosion near the office at around that time. No further details were available at the time of reporting.
About 15 minutes later, local residents said they heard two more explosions near the intersection of Bogyoke Aung San Road and 51st Street, a short distance away from the first blast.
A group calling itself the Urban Guerrilla Revolution Force (UGRF) claimed responsibility for the second attack, along with two others on the same day.
A member of the group said that it had planted a total of five handmade bombs in downtown Yangon on Tuesday—two near a police station at the corner of Bogyoke Aung San Road and 51st Street, two near a traffic police office at the corner of Bo Aung Kyaw Road and Strand Road, and one more at the advertising office of a state-run newspaper on 50th Street.
Myanmar Now was unable to independently verify the group’s claims about blasts at the latter two locations.
According to a local vendor, police had blocked roads in Pazundaung, Kyauktada, and Botahtaung townships following the blasts and were questioning pedestrians.
The UGRF, which has vowed to overthrow the junta, has claimed responsibility for a series of bombings over the past two months.
Its targets have included a condominium project and other businesses owned by a civilian member of the ruling military council and several companies linked to the military, including telecoms provider Mytel and Music Zone KTV.
