NAYPYIDAW: More than 500 people have been killed in the Myanmar junta’s brutal crackdown on protests against its coup to oust civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a local monitoring group said Tuesday. Daily rallies across Myanmar by unarmed protesters have been met with tear gas, rubber bullets and live rounds. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) said it had confirmed a total of 510 civilian deaths but warned the true toll was probably significantly higher. UN Secretary-General Guterres urged the Myanmar authorities to undertake a “serious democratic transition.” “It is absolutely unacceptable to see violence against people at such high levels, so many people killed,” Guterres told a news conference. The Kremlin said it was “very concerned” by growing civilian casualties, despite acknowledging it was building ties with the military authorities.

Source: Manila Times March 30, 2021 16:41 UTC