82 Protesters Killed in Myanmar Yangon Military and Police Shooting

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] It has been reported that more than 80 anti-coup protesters were killed by gunfire from the military and police in the Bago region near Yangon, Myanmar, on the 8th.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a human rights organization, stated that at least 82 protesters were killed by gunfire from Myanmar's military and police in the Bago region, about 90 km northeast of Yangon.

Local media such as Myanmar Now reported that the military and police used rifles and grenades to suppress the protesters. Myanmar Now quoted Ye Htut, a former Myanmar intelligence chief and protest organizer, saying, "It was like a massacre."

The military and police used heavy weapons during a dawn raid on the protesters that day, and local media reported that photos showing the situation suggest that explosive rounds were also used.

Witnesses said that the military and police moved the bodies somewhere, making it impossible to confirm exactly how many people died.

According to Myanmar Monitoring Group and others, since the coup on February 1, the total number of confirmed deaths due to shootings and violence by the military and police reached 618 as of the previous day.