Britain urges citizens to flee Myanmar amid bloody military crackdown on anti-coup protests
The Foreign Office released new advice on Friday calling on British nationals to leave if they could. It warned that “political tension and unrest are widespread since the military takeover and levels of violence are rising”.
More rallies were held today, a day after a rights group said security forces killed 12 protesters in one of Myanmar’s bloodiest days since the February 1 military coup.
The deaths took to more than 70 the number of protesters killed since the junta seized power, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) advocacy group said.
The country has been plunged into chaos following weeks of clashes between pro-democracy campaigners and security forces since the military coup.
Among the dead yesterday were eight people killed in the central town of Myaing when security forces fired on a protest.
In Yangon, protester Chit Min Thu, 25, was killed in the North Dagon district. His wife, Aye Myat Thu, told Reuters he had insisted on joining the protests despite her appeals that he stay home for the sake of their son.
“He said it’s worth dying for,” she said through her tears. “He is worried about people not joining the protest. If so, democracy will not return to the country.”
The bloodshed also came hours after the UN Security Council had called for restraint from the army, which has been trying to put down daily anti-coup protests and paralysing strikes.
