At least 18 people were killed and several wounded as Myanmar police fired on protesters on Sunday in the bloodiest day of weeks of demonstrations against a military coup, the UN human rights office said. More than 50 pro-democracy protesters have been arrested by the Myanmar military junta.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the army seized power and detained elected government leader Aung San Suu Kyi and much of her party leadership on 1 February, alleging fraud in a November election her party won in a landslide.
“Military and police are using live round of fires to crack down on protestors from swelling. Across the cities in Myanmar, use of force including military grade snipers are deployed to kill peaceful protestors,” said one of the Twitter users.
Another Twitter user said, “Teachers protesters received medical treatment at nearby hideout after they got hurt while they tried run away from police who attacked them with stun grenade this morning in Yangon on Feb 28.”
“One of the peaceful protesters was shot death by Myanmar terrorist Police in Thingangyun Township, Yangon today,” a Twitterati said.
“Today 28.2.2021 almost all regions in Yangon, Myanmar military and polices shot protesting people with real bullets. In Hledan township, two people were shot dead on the spot. A pregnant teacher was also dead and hundreds of people were arrested,” one of the Myanmar citizens said. Meanwhile, another Twitterati said, “One civilian is dead by gun shot in Mawlamyaing.
The coup, which brought a halt to tentative steps towards democracy after nearly 50 years of military rule, has drawn hundreds of thousands onto the streets against the military rulers of Myanmar.
Police were out in force early and opened fire in different parts of the biggest city of Yangon after stun grenades, tear gas and shots in the air failed to break up crowds. Soldiers also reinforced police.
Several wounded people were hauled away by fellow protesters, leaving bloody smears on pavements, media images showed. One man died after being brought to a hospital with a bullet in the chest, said a doctor who asked not to be identified.
A woman died of a suspected heart attack after police swooped to break up a Yangon teachers’ protest with stun grenades, her daughter and a colleague said.
Police also opened fire in Dawei in the south, killing three and wounding several, politician Kyaw Min Htike told Reuters from the town.
The Myanmar Now media outlet reported two people had been killed in a protest in the second city of Mandalay.
Junta leader General Min Aung Hlaing said last week authorities were using minimal force to deal with the protests. Nevertheless, at least 10 protesters have now died in the turmoil. The army said a policeman has been killed.