Telecommunication towers in some townships are being destroyed and measures will be taken to expose the culprits for effective legal action, according to a statement released by the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services on September 5.

The control room below the Mytel telecom tower in a field about two furlongs west from Shawhlan Village, Yinmabin Township, Sagaing Region, was filled with garbage and incinerated at about 3.15 pm on September 4. The machines and cables in the control room were destroyed, the statement said.

At about 2 pm on September 5 also, a group of unidentified people planted a bomb in the box containing control and transmitting machines below Oaktha Mani Thatha telecom tower erected near mile post (15/1) on Tagaung-Bhamo Road in Thabeikkyin Township, Mandalay Region. Consequently, the machines and cables inside the box were destroyed.

The statement also said three men (still under investigation) arrived on two motorbikes at Oaktha Mani Thatha telecom tower in the house compound of U Kyaw Soe, 50, living in Paklein Village, Madaya Township, at about 2 pm on September 5. One of the men pour into the box containing transmitting machines below the telecom tower and set fire to it. They then ran away.

The fire was put out by nearby villagers after about 15 minutes. The fire destroyed the machines and cables in the box.

Security forces are taking measures to expose and take effective action against those responsible in accord with the law, the statement added.