Icon: enlarge
People bring an injured protester to safety: Myanmar is in its "darkest period"
Photo: STRINGER / EPA
On Sunday, Myanmar experienced one of the bloodiest days to date since the military coup in February.
At least 18 people have been killed by security forces in protests against military rule.
That came from eyewitness and media reports.
Local aid organizations speak of up to 38 dead.
The economic metropolis of Yangon was hardest hit, where the military imposed martial law in at least one district and opened fire on demonstrators.
There are said to have been two deaths in other cities, according to state television, a police officer also died.
Previously, a group of elected MPs, who have lived underground since the military came to power and who have formed a kind of counter-government, called for new protests against the junta.
The people should continue to take to the streets against the “illegal dictatorship”, said ex-parliamentary president Mahn Win Khaing Than in a video message on Facebook.
Myanmar is now in its "darkest" season, but dawn is near, Than said.
He urged the people to continue to resist the military government: "We will win this uprising."
More than 80 people killed, over 2100 arrested
Mahn Win Khaing Than, like most high-ranking representatives of the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party, is on the run.
The ousted de facto head of government Aung San Suu Kyi, on the other hand, is in police custody.
Since the military seized power and overturned the civilian government in early February, there have been mass demonstrations practically every day.
The release and reinstatement of Aung San Suu Kyi are called for.
According to the human rights group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, more than 80 people have been killed and over 2,100 arrested in the protests so far.
The Chinese embassy in Myanmar called for security to be restored quickly.
The situation on site is very serious.
"Some Chinese factories were looted and destroyed, and many Chinese workers were injured and imprisoned," said a message from the embassy on Facebook.
Therefore, a warning was sent to Chinese citizens in Myanmar.
Icon: The mirror
rai / Reuters / dpa / AFP
