MYITKYINA, BURMA (BNO NEWS) — At least ten people were killed on late Sunday evening when a bomb exploded at an orphanage in northern Burma (Myanmar), two Burmese news organizations in exile reported on Monday.
The attack happened at around 9 p.m. local time when two people riding a motorcycle threw a parcel containing an explosive device toward an orphanage in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State. Both the orphanage and two other buildings were destroyed by the blast and subsequent fire.
Mizzima News and the opposition-run Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) reported that at least ten people were killed in the attack, most of them children. Mizzima News said one of the victims was a 1-year-old child, but gave no other details about the ages of the other victims. At least 27 others were injured.
The orphanage was owned by Dayaung Tangoon, who is a member of the Myanmar Martial Art Federation and was traveling at the time of the attack. More than 30 people, including orphans, refugee children and martial arts students, were living in the compound which was completely burned down.
About an hour after the deadly attack, another bomb blast hit near the Sports and Physical Education Department Office in Myitkyina, according to the state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper. About 15 minutes later, a third blast hit a road in the same area. There were no casualties.
Before the orphanage attack, police were able to disable an explosive device which had been left on a street in Myitkyina, according to the state-run newspaper. It said the bomb had been timed to explode at 9 p.m. local time.
It was not immediately known who was behind the attacks.