At least three police officers and a soldier were severely injured after a bomb went off following a pro-military rally in Meiktila on Monday morning, according to witnesses.
Residents of the town in Mandalay Region said that security was tight ahead of the event, which was reportedly attended by around 200 people.
A local man who witnessed the incident said that a police vehicle parked in front of Meiktila Police Station No. 2, located opposite the town’s central market, exploded soon after the rally ended.
“I saw three police officers and a soldier on the ground near the car. Their faces were torn apart and there was blood everywhere. I’m not sure if they were dead or alive, but they weren’t moving,” he said, adding that he didn’t have time to see if there were any other casualties.
“We had to flee in a panic, as it happened in front of the police station and they just started shooting. The situation was very chaotic,” he said.
It was unclear at the time of reporting if there were any civilian deaths or injuries. Calls to police for information about the attack went unanswered.
Another witness who spoke to Myanmar Now said that the blast took place about half an hour after police who had provided security for the rally started regrouping at the station, where the marchers had gathered hours earlier.
“Security was much tighter this morning. There were so many officers from Police Battalion 35 and so many soldiers as well,” the witness said, adding that the march started at Meiktila Bridge at around 9am and ended about two hours later in the town’s Yan Gyi Aung ward.
There have been reports that the families of military personnel stationed in garrison towns like Meiktila have been instructed to attend rallies in support of the regime that seized power in February.
