Myanmar military ‘kills 50 protesters’ on Armed Forces Day

Myanmar’s security forces on Saturday reportedly killed at least 50 people, including children, protesting the country’s February military coup.

Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s de-facto leader, and other senior government officials were detained following a coup on February 1.

Protesters trooped out to the streets of Yangon, Mandalay and other towns as the country’s generals celebrated Armed Forces Day despite the military’s threat on state-run TV to shoot protesters “in the head or back” on Friday.

Myanmar Now reports that “a one-year-old baby was wounded after being shot in the eye with a rubber bullet in the Thamine area of Yangon’s Mayangone Township”.

Over 300 people have been reportedly killed by the military regime since the coup.

The European Union’s delegation to Myanmar described the Armed Forces Day as “a day of terror and dishonour”.

It condemned the attack while calling for an end to the violence.

“This 76th Myanmar armed forces day will stay engraved as a day of terror and dishonour. The killing of unarmed civilians, including children, are indefensible acts. The EU stands by the people of Myanmar and calls for an immediate end of violence and the restoration of democracy,” the EU wrote on its Twitter handle.

This 76th Myanmar armed forces day will stay engraved as a day of terror and dishonour. The killing of unarmed civilians, including children, are indefensible acts. The EU stands by the people of Myanmar and calls for an immediate end of violence and the restoration of democracy.

— EUMyanmar (@EUMyanmar) March 27, 2021