Protests took place in 40 towns and cities, including here in Yangon
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that Washington is “horrified” by Saturday’s deaths in Myanmar.
Dozens of people were killed by security forces during protests on the deadliest day since last month’s military takeover of the country.
The killings, reportedly of more than 100 people, show “that the junta will sacrifice the lives of the people to serve the few,” Mr Blinken said.
“The courageous people of Burma reject the military’s reign of terror.”
The US embassy previously said security forces were “murdering unarmed civilians”, while the EU delegation to Myanmar said Saturday – officially Armed Forces Day – would “stay engraved as a day of terror and dishonour”.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply shocked”, and British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called it a “new low”.
The lethal crackdown against civilians – including children – came as protesters defied warnings and took to the streets in towns and cities.
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) monitoring group confirmed at least 91 deaths while local media put the figure higher.
“They are killing us like birds or chickens, even in our homes,” resident Thu Ya Zaw told Reuters news agency in the central town of Myingyan.
The latest violence took the number killed in the suppression of protests in Myanmar since the 1 February coup to more than 400.
The military seized control of the South East Asian country after an election which Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party won by a landslide. (BBC)
