Coup in Myanmar: Four more protesters killed

Myanmar security forces shot dead four pro-democracy protesters yesterday, witnesses and local media reports said, as activist leaders called for a huge show of defiance to the ruling military junta on the country's Armed Forces Day today. 

The World Bank said Myanmar's economy could slump 10% this year due to the turmoil since the coup last month that overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

But in a week that saw international pressure on the generals ramped up with new US and European sanctions, Russia offered support for the military and said it wanted to strengthen ties.

Protesters against the junta have taken to the streets almost daily since the Feb.1 coup, prompting an uncompromising crackdown by the security forces.

Demonstrations took place across the country overnight and yesterday, including in the Mandalay and Sagaing regions, as well as in Karen and Chin states, media reports said

Security forces opened fire on protesters waving black flags in the southern town of Myeik, a witness said.

"Two were killed by head shots," the witness told Reuters. "We cannot pick up the (third) dead body as many security forces are there".

Several other people were wounded, said the witness, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution.

Another witness said he had seen a fourth body. Myanmar Now news said four people were killed in the town. At least 320 people have been killed in the weeks of unrest that followed the coup, according to figures as of Thursday night from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) activist group.

Its data shows that at least 25 percent of those who were killed died from shots to the head, raising suspicions they were deliberately targeted for killing.