Myanmar coup: death toll passes 600 as crackdown continues and security forces detain celebrities

Meanwhile, a coalition of more than 200 civil society organisations across Southeast Asia urged governments in the region to impose economic sanctions against the junta

The group also urged governments not to deport people fleeing the post-coup violence and to instead establish a ‘humanitarian corridor’ to deliver aid to displaced people

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Teachers taking part in a protest against the military coup in Dawei. Photo: AFP

Published: 9:45pm, 8 Apr 2021Updated: 10:05pm, 9 Apr 2021

Anti-coup demonstrators in Myanmar fought back with handmade guns and firebombs against a crackdown by security forces in a town in the northwest but at least 11 of the protesters were killed, local media reported on Thursday.

Initially, six truckloads of troops were deployed to quell protesters in the town of Taze, the Myanmar Now and Irrawaddy news outlets said. When the protesters fought back with handmade guns, knives and firebombs, five more truckloads of troops were brought in.

Fighting continued into Thursday morning and at least 11 protesters were killed and about 20 wounded, the media said. There was no word of any casualties among the military, known in Myanmar as the Tatmadaw.

That would take the toll of civilians killed by security forces to over 600 since the junta seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). It had a toll of 598 dead as of Wednesday evening.

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Taze is near the town of Kale, where at least 12 people were killed in a similar clash between troops and protesters on Wednesday, according to news media and witnesses. Security forces fired live rounds, grenades, and machine-guns on protesters who were demanding the restoration of Suu Kyi’s government, AAPP said.