Three Pagoda Pass bombing blows up in attackers’ faces

Udaud, Loa Htaw
10 May 2010

Three Pagoda Pass (TPP) residents report that the bombing of a Burmese military checkpoint last night in the Thailand-Burma border Township left its two perpetrators seriously injured. The pair has been taken into custody.

The explosion took place in front of a Burmese military check-point outside of TPP town, at 9:10 pm on the night of May 9th. According to a New Mon State Party (NMSP) official, the two Karen bombers, named Maung Phyu and Aung Aung, drove a motorbike into the “walk only” section of the checkpoint and attempted to throw explosives into the station as they passed by. The explosives missed their mark, and detonated too close to the vehicle, injuring both men. The two were immediately arrested by the battalion.

“The bombers were taken to the hospital for a few hours, and then transferred to Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) No. 284’s base in TPP for investigation last night,” the NMSP official reported.
Maung Phyu lost his left hand and hurt his left thigh, while Aung Aung hurt his left flank, U Tin*, a TTP resident whose home is located nearby the explosion site, informed IMNA.

Sources in the area, who asked to remain anonymous, confirmed that both Maung Phyu and Aung Aung are former members of the Karen Peace Front. Reportedly, Aung Aung was a former policeman from Hpa- an Township, Karen State, before he joined at KPF. Residents living around the bomb site reported to IMNA that the KPF has already refused responsibility for the bombing, claiming that both perpetrators had resigned from the group long before the events of last night.

The KPF is a Karen armed group that formerly functioned as the Karen National Liberation Army’s Brigade No. 6; in 1997 the leaders of the brigade surrendered to the Burmese military government. The group has subsequently remained loosely allied with the Burmese military and operates a number of road and river checkpoints in the Three Pagodas Pass area, and serves as a semi-administrative presence in the town.

*Editor’s Note: Name changed for security reasons.