Thousands of protesters took to the streets across Myanmar on Saturday, as the country’s ruling military celebrated the annual Armed Forces Day holiday with a parade in Yangon. Security forces killed dozens of protesters in what local media is saying was the deadliest day since the military coup that took place last month. An estimated 400 people have been killed since early February.
Soldiers and police have reportedly killed dozens of people in Myanmar as they suppressed protests against last month’s coup. One of the deadliest days comes as the military celebrated the annual Armed Forces Day holiday with a parade in the capital.
The death toll in Myanmar has been steadily rising as authorities grow more forceful with their suppression of opposition to the Feb. 1 coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The coup reversed years of progress toward democracy after five decades of military rule.
Martial law had been imposed March 15, 2021 in Hlaingthaya and several other districts of Yangon, and in several parts of the second city of Mandalay, according to multiple media reports. Dozens of protesters were killed on Sunday on the bloodiest day since the February 1 coup.
