Myanmar Military Truck Plows Through Protesters, Killing Civilians, Drawing Criticism From UN, US

(Photo : AFP PHOTO (Photo credit should read AFP/AFP via Getty Images)
Myanmar military trucks carry away furniture and documents from government offices in Yangon to the new administrative capital Pyinmana, some 400 kilometers to the north, 16 November 2005. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice 16 November chided ASEAN for failing to criticize strongly enough what she called "quite appalling" human rights abuses in Myanmar.

A Myanmar military truck reportedly drove through a group of protesters on Sunday, killing civilians and injuring at least eight demonstrators as seen in the videos taken by the witnesses.

The incident occurred on Sunday morning in Myanmar's most populous city, Yangon, which involved junta soldiers firing into the group of protesters according to two witnesses. The video of the incident that went public included sounds of gunfire, however, it was not clear who or what was being fired upon.

Military Truck Plows Through Civilians

Reports on the number of fatalities were conflicting as two media outlets in the region reported that five protesters lost their lives in the incident. One witness also claimed that Myanmar junta soldiers kicked wounded demonstrators and arrested others among the crowd.

Since the Myanmar junta's coup in February, demonstrators have taken to the streets to criticize and demand accountability for the excessive use of force. Despite the junta enacting harsh punishments to civilians, hundreds of residents have conducted organized flash-mob protests showing their opposition to military rule, the New York Times reported.

More than 1,200 Myanmar civilians have been killed since the military junta's coup earlier this year. Thousands of civilians have also been arrested by the military since their ousting of the civilian government.

In a military report, authorities said they arrested 11 people who were protesting in the streets and noted that three were injured while one was in critical condition. However, they did not confirm whether or not a truck plowed through the crowd of protesters but said that it did disperse a "rioting" crowd.

A local news agency, MPA, said that two of its reporters were among the number of people detained by the military junta in the latest protest. One of the two appeared to have been injured while the other one was unable to be contacted, BBC reported.

Myanmar Junta Coup

The United Nations issued a statement condemning the Myanmar military junta of the "reported attack on a number of unarmed civilians in Kyimyindaing Township, Yangon, in which a vehicle belonging to security forces rammed into protesters." Additionally, the U.S. Embassy responded to the incident saying they were "horrified" by the reports.

The embassy added that they supported the right of the people of Burma to protest peacefully against the military junta's rule. The situation comes as residents in the region are awaiting verdicts in trials of deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The official faces nearly a dozen charges including incitement and violation of COVID-19 protocols. However, the civilian leader has denied all allegations of the military junta since being ousted in February earlier this year, CNN reported.

The demonstrators of the latest incident gathered in the area between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., marching through the streets while some could be seen holding a banner with a portrait of Aung Sun. Another banner carried by the group showed a quote of the civilian leader, which read, "The only real prison is fear, and the real freedom is freedom from fear."