At least three people were killed Saturday by security forces during a protest, according to sources and media reports.
Police and soldiers opened fire into a crowd in the second city, Mandalay, after 1,000 government employees refused to return to work at a major jetty site.
A dangerous, contemptible escalation as Myanmar police open fire on protesters in Mandalay, killing two and wounding 40+. The police were trying to force workers back to their jobs. Hundreds of thousands of people have stopped working to protest the coup. https://t.co/OTVHiQ28sm pic.twitter.com/x14W0ZceHp
— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) February 20, 2021
Witnesses said the shooting occurred after hours of an tense face-off between security forces and protesters.
A volunteer medic was among those killed, according to a colleague who asked not to be named.
“My friend was sitting in an ambulance while she got shot,” he told Anadolu Agency.
A male died when he was shot in the head by police in Yangon’s Shwe Pyi Thar township, said witnesses.
“As a police vehicle entered into the street, we tried to stop them. Police suddenly shot a man in the head and then drove away,” said Myint Myat Thu who witnessed the shooting.
Anadolu Agency was unable to reach authorities for comment.
We should honour Mandalay as "Phoenix "
— ?? Save Myanmar ?? (@Byun_Sori6104) February 21, 2021
Sit-in Protest in front of Zay-Cho market by Mandalay people!
The more brutal action the coup government do, the more survive Mandalay can!!!
STOP TERRORISM#WhatsHappeningInMyanmar#Feb21Coup pic.twitter.com/RSYSmmKD8R
This article has been adapted from its original source.
