Four more protesters shot dead in Myanmar

Anti-coup protesters carry an injured man during a demonstration in Yangon on Sunday. Pic/AP

At least four people were shot dead during protests in Myanmar's largest city on Sunday, as security forces continued their violent crackdown against dissent.

One of the victims was shot in the head and another was shot in the abdomen, according to local media covering the demonstrations in Hlaing Thar Yar Township in Yangon.

Video posted on social media showed crowds of people, some wearing hard hats and gas masks, running down a street amid sounds of gunfire. The demonstrators quickly sprayed vapour from fire extinguishers as they retreated.

The use of fire extinguishers, common now in protests across Myanmar, is intended to smother tear gas and also create a vapour screen that makes it harder for police to shoot demonstrators. So far, forces have killed over 70 protesters in Myanmar.

Black smoke could be seen after forces reportedly set roadblocks on fire. On Saturday, the civilian leader of Myanmar's government in hiding vowed to continue supporting a "revolution" to oust the military that seized power in the February 1 coup.

Mahn Win Khaing Than, who was named the acting vice president by Myanmar's ousted lawmakers, addressed the public on Saturday for the first time since the coup.

70
No. of protesters killed so far

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