Myanmar's junta responded to calls for restoration of democracy with bullets: US

In a strong condemnation of the Myanmar military's brutal crackdown on demonstrators since the February 1 coup, the US Department of State on Monday (local time) said that the junta has responded to calls for the restoration of democracy in the country with bullets.

Speaking at a Department press briefing, Deputy Spokesperson Jalina Porter said: "...Burmese security forces brutally attacked their own people, killing dozens throughout the country. The military junta's violence against the people of Burma is immoral and indefensible."

"The junta has responded to calls for the restoration of democracy in Burma with bullets," she added.

Porter stressed that the military's hostile takeover does not represent the will of the people and said that the US continues to call on all countries to take concrete actions to oppose the coup and its escalating violence.

"...We are deeply concerned and saddened by the reports and strongly condemn the use of violence in Burma security forces against their people," she later said.

Earlier, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, informed that at least 138 peaceful protesters, including women and children, have been killed in Myanmar since the coup.

"This includes 38 people who were killed yesterday, the majority in the Hlaing Thayer area of Yangon, while 18 people were killed on Saturday," he said.

Despite increasing international pressure to restore the democratically-elected government, the Myanmar junta has ignored the condemnation and has continued to violently suppress the protests against its unlawful takeover of the country. Several ousted lawmakers have even designated the military as a terrorist orgsation.

( With inputs from ANI )