YANGON — As Myanmar’s military celebrated the annual Armed Forces Day holiday with a parade Saturday in the country’s capital, soldiers and police elsewhere reportedly killed dozens of people as they suppressed protests in the deadliest bloodletting since last month’s coup.
A count issued by an independent researcher in Yangon who has been compiling near-real time death tolls put the total by 9 p.m. at 100, spread over more than two dozen cities and towns. The online news site Myanmar Now earlier reported the death toll had reached 91.
Both numbers are higher than all estimates for the previous high on March 14, which ranged in counts from 74 to 90, according to AP.
The killings quickly drew international condemnation, with multiple diplomatic missions to Myanmar releasing statements that mentioned the killing of civilians Saturday, including children.
“This 76th Myanmar armed forces day will stay engraved as a day of terror and dishonour,” the European Union’s delegation to Myanmar said on Twitter. “The killing of unarmed civilians, including children, are indefensible acts.”
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