Myanmar Protests Death Toll: 38 Killed As Forces Open Fire On Protesters

An advocacy group on Sunday said at least 38 protesters have been killed in Myanmar after security forces opened fire on demonstrators, making it the bloodiest day since the military launched a coup against the newly elected leader.

Security forces carried out the attack in the poor Hlaingthaya suburb of Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon. At least 22 anti-coup protesters were killed. The forces also killed at least 16 other demonstrators, including one policeman, in different areas, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said.

The onslaught came after China said several Chinese factories, including four garment factories and a fertilizer plant, were set ablaze. Demonstrators reportedly blocked the routes of the firefighters, hindering their response to the blazes.

“China urges Myanmar to take further effective measures to stop all acts of violence, punish the perpetrators in accordance with the law and ensure the safety of life and property of Chinese companies and personnel in Myanmar,” a statement from Beijing read.

This prompted the military to impose martial law on the Hlaingthaya suburb and another district in Yangon. Several military trucks were seen patrolling the streets before the security forces began firing at protesters.

“It was horrible. People were shot before my eyes. It will never leave my memory,” one photojournalist on the scene told CNBC.

The latest wave of deaths brings the toll from the protests to 126. More than 2,150 protesters were also detained on Sunday.

Myanmar military forces on Feb. 1 declared there will be a year-long state of emergency after Aung San Suu Kyi, head of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, won a general election by a landslide.

The military claimed Suu Kyi and the NLD’s win were rife with widespread fraud even after the election commission said they found no evidence to back the allegations. The armed forces launched the coup as the parliament was set to open another session.

Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest. She has been charged with possessing illegal walkie-talkies, violating the country’s coronavirus restrictions during her election campaign, and publishing potentially alarming information. She is set to return to court on Monday.