Despite the junta’s efforts for peaceful Thingyan New Year’s festivities that projected an air of normality, there were bombings at Thingyan celebrations across the country.

Most of the bombings took place in Yangon despite tight security. Over the five days of Thingyan, from 13 to 17 April, there were at least 20 bomb blasts in Yangon.

On the first day of Thingyan, 13 April, there were at least 13 explosions in different areas of Yangon, including North Okkalapa and Thaketa Townships. Casualty numbers have not yet been reported.

On the morning of 17 April, the final day of Thingyan celebrations, the Dark Shadow guerilla group made a statement saying that they had bombed military personnel’s housing and a bunker in Yangon
Region’s Bahan Township.

In Mandalay there was an explosion at a popular bar called Space on 62 nd Street between 35 th and 36 th Streets that injured many people.

A bomb blast killed several people near the home of a junta informant, in Mandalay’s Aung Myay Thazan Township.

There was also an explosion at a police station in Mandalay’s Pyigyidagun Township on 13 April.

But the attacks were not restricted to Yangon and Mandalay. Thingyan festivities in other parts of the country, such as Ayeyarwady Region and Kachin State were also targeted.

Gunfire heard near Thingyan festivities in the Kachin State capital of Myitkyina caused participants to flee on 15 April.

There was also a series of explosions at the central pandals (Thingyan stages) in Kyaunggon and Maubin townships, in Ayeyarwady Region.

Before Thingyan, People’s Defence Forces (PDFs) and other guerilla groups had warned people not to take part in Thingyan celebrations as doing so would only strengthen the military and because
attacks on Thingyan stages had been planned.