Weekend Bloodshed Continues to Push Myanmar Death Toll Higher

By The Irrawaddy 28 March 2021

Myanmar saw 23 more deaths at the hands of the military junta’s forces Saturday night and Sunday.

That number is expected to rise because several people were seriously wounded during the security forces’ shooting spree on Sunday.

During the crackdown on protesters, the military regime’s forces have used not only live rounds but also hand grenades.

As of Sunday, Myanmar’s protest-related death toll was at least 452.

Amid the country’s bloodiest day Sunday, when more than 100 were killed, tens of thousands of people across the country continued to take to the streets to show their defiance of the regime.

Myanmar’s military regime continued its brutal attacks on demonstrators in several cities across Myanmar including Hpakant, the jade-mining hub in Kachin State in the country’s north to Monywa, Kale, Mandalay, Myingyan, Bago, Pathein, Yangon’s South Dagon and Taunggyi in Shan State.

After a young anti-regime protester was killed by a grenade attack on Saturday, the regime’s forces continued to use hand grenades while randomly firing live rounds on an anti-regime protest in Yangon’s Hlaing Township on Sunday morning.

During the attack, one civilian lost his left hand in a grenade explosion and suffered additional wounds to his body. Another civilian was wounded in the leg by a grenade explosion.

In Mandalay Region’s Myingyan, junta’s security forces used civilian vehicles and motorbikes as they randomly fired on anti-regime protesters.

During the shooting, a young female anti-regime protester, Ma Zin Mar Aung, 24, and a man were slain by security forces. The regime’s gunmen also opened fire for no reason on a civilian vehicle carrying a woman and children in the afternoon, killing a man and wounding the driver.

A photo also shows two members of the security forces disguised in civilian clothes wielding firearms while riding a motorbike in the town.

On Sunday afternoon, a 38-year-old ethnic Chin woman, Ah Khu a leader of civil society group Women for Justice based in Sagaing Region’s Kale township, was slain by security forces during a crackdown against an anti-regime protest in the town. Another three men were also killed by the junta’s forces.

A resident told The Irrawaddy on Sunday that Ah Khu was deliberately shot by two security forces dressed in civilian clothes.

Another five people, including a female nursing student assisting the wounded, were shot dead by the junta’s forces in a deadly assault against an anti-regime protest in Sagaing Region’s Monywa.

In Yangon’s South Dagon Township, two people, including a young female AYA Bank staff member named Ma Khine Zar Thwe, were slain by security forces Sunday.

At least four others were killed by security forces during night raids at Pathein, Mandalay and Yangon’s Thaketa Township and Naypyitaw’s Tatkon.

U Aye Ko, 40-year-old neighborhood watch member, was burned alive after being wounded by gunfire from security forces in Mandalay on Saturday night.

The funeral of a student union member shot dead on Saturday was attacked by the junta’s police and soldiers at Bago Region’s Phaya-Gyi Town on Sunday morning. Security forces opened fire and tried to arrest those attending the funeral.

Adding to the Saturday massacre, three ethnic Karen villagers were killed by a retributive airstrike by Myanmar’s military against the Karen National Liberation Army, the armed wing of Karen Nation Union (KNU), in Karen State. A civilian was also killed by an artillery shell in a punishing attack against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in Kachin State’s Hpakant.

Amid the continuous deadly crackdowns by the junta, tens of thousands of people across Myanmar continue to take to the streets to protest against the military rule.

You may also like these stories:

Three Karen Villagers Killed in Myanmar Military Airstrike

Wounded Mandalay Volunteer Burned Alive by Myanmar Regime

Myanmar’s Striking Civil Servants Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize