Jakarta – A local resident was killed and two others severely injured when a bomb went off in a crowd of residents and security personnel milling about in front of the Betoamberi district office on Friday afternoon in Baubau, Buton regency, Southeast Sulawesi.

The fatality was identified as La Aeri, a resident of Katobengke village in Betoambari district. The two injured were La Utu and La Alu.

Antara reported the incident occurred at 3.40pm local time. Police have yet to find the motive behind the explosion, but they suspect it was a continuation of the recent communal clashes involving residents from Wameo, Kabula, Wakonti, Lipu and Katobengke villages that rocked the areas on Thursday.

Earlier on late Thursday, an explosion also occurred in nearby Lipu village when two policemen passed by the area. The policemen were mobbed to death by residents who did not want them to investigate the explosion. Police and personnel from the Indonesian Military (TNI) were then deployed to the district to prevent further violence.

Buton Police chief Adj. Snr. Comr. Petrus Hardana said that although tension had escalated in the district, security was under control. More security personnel will be deployed to reinforce troops already in the area. There have been at least six explosions in Buton over the last three weeks.