Myanmar: protesters stage rallies against military crackdown

Protesters took to the streets in several parts of Myanmar on Thursday, defying an increasingly fierce crackdown by security forces.

Amnesty International said that more than 60 protesters had been killed and nearly 2,000 detained since the February 1 coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government.

It is worth mentioning that, the UN Security Council failed to agree on a statement that would have condemned the coup in Myanmar, called on the military to show restraint, and threatened to consider “other measures,” but diplomats noted the talks would likely continue.

The diplomats said that during an initial attempt to finalize the text, China, Russia, Vietnam, and India proposed late Tuesday to introduce amendments to a British draft, including deleting the reference to a coup, and the threat to consider further measures.

Violent clashes between security forces and protesters continued in Myanmar as demonstrators are taking to streets in different cities to protest the military coup that took place on Feb. 1.

Earlier, the US Department of Commerce announced imposing sanctions on Myanmar’s Ministries of Defense and home affairs by adding them to its trade blacklist, to punish Myanmar’s army for its Feb 1 coup.

Sanctions were imposed on the two ministries, in addition to two other entities in the country, due to the coup in Myanmar, according to a statement by the US Department.