"Myanmar Military Fires Mortars at Protesters... At Least 82 Dead"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] On the night of the 8th (local time), Myanmar military and police opened fire on protesters condemning the military coup, killing at least 82 people.

According to reports by AP News citing the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a human rights organization, the shooting by Myanmar military and police occurred from the night of the 8th until the early morning of the following day in the Bago region near Yangon.

This is the largest single-day massacre of civilians in one city since more than 100 people died in the capital Yangon on the 14th of last month.

The military and police have been criticized for using grenade launchers and mortars during their attacks on protesters.

AP News could not directly confirm the use of such heavy weapons, but reported that objects resembling mortar shell fragments appeared in photos posted on social media from the scene.

The military and police stacked bodies and sealed off the area, causing delays in the death toll count.

The AAPP has so far confirmed 701 civilian deaths due to shootings and other violence by the military and police.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.