EU foreign policy chief condemns crackdown in Myanmar

BRUSSELS

The EU foreign policy chief called on Saturday the security forces in Myanmar to stop the violence against protesters.

“I strongly condemn violence against peaceful civilian protesters by the military. I urge the military and all security forces in Myanmar to immediately stop violence against civilians,” Josep Borrell said on Twitter.

The EU top diplomat also indicated that the bloc would apply sanctions against the military junta.

“We will discuss on Monday with EU foreign affairs ministers the latest events in Myanmar to take appropriate decisions,” Borrell wrote.

The bloc is mulling to introduce travel ban and asset freeze against those responsible for the coup and crackdown on civilians, Anadolu Agency learned from a senior EU official on Friday.

EU foreign affairs ministers are supposed to take a decision at their meeting on Monday.

Security forces opened fire on Saturday on protesters in the country’s largest city Mandalay.

According to local media reports, at least two people lost their lives.

The country has seen large protests since the military declared a state of emergency on Feb. 1.

The junta also detained de facto leader and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and senior members of the then ruling National League for Democracy party.

The coup took place hours before the first session of the country's new parliament was set to convene following elections in November, in which the National League for Democracy made sweeping gains.

The military claimed that the coup was staged as a result of "election fraud" in the polls that resulted in the dominance of the party in parliament.