2 more protesters reportedly killed by Myanmar military after workers begin general strike against coup

Two protesters in Myanmar died on Monday after being shot in the head, eyewitnesses told reporters, with graphic footage of the injuries shared online. A workers strike has been launched in opposition to the ongoing military coup.

The shootings occurred in the northern town of Myitkyina after businesses, including shops and banks, closed in the country following calls from trade unions for a general strike in opposition to the military takeover and their raids of hospitals and news outlets.

Protesters were seen fleeing in panic after shots were heard, while the military fired stun grenades and tear gas. Demonstrators were filmed carrying the body of one of the victims away from security forces, while other footage showed a second person with severe head injuries.

Alongside the two reported fatalities, another three people were injured, according to eyewitnesses.

More protests were reported on Monday in other cities, including Yangon, Mandalay and elsewhere in the country. Demonstrators in Dawei, in the south of Myanmar, were reportedly able to protest without retaliation due to the protection of the armed Karen rebel group in the region, which has been in conflict with the military and central government alike since long before the coup.

The violence on Monday in Myitkyina was the latest clash between protesters and the military, with the United Nations estimating that around 50 people have been killed since the coup began on February 1 with the detention of the country’s elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

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