Myanmar protesters rally after overnight raids on opposition figures

Thousands of Myanmar anti-coup demonstrators hit the streets on March 7 as the junta regime continued its crackdown, amid overnight raids in parts of Yangon which targeted officials from Aung San Suu Kyi's political party.

Myanmar has been in chaos since the February 1 coup which ousted civilian leader Suu Kyi from power and triggered a mass uprising opposing the military junta regime.

Wednesday was the deadliest day so far, with the United Nations saying at least 38 people were gunned down as security forces fired into crowds, shooting some protesters in the head.

The U.N. rights office also said it has verified at least 54 deaths since the coup - though the actual number could be far higher - and more than 1,700 people have been detained.

The only reports of serious injuries Sunday were a 19-year-old man shot in the jaw and a woman hit by rubber bullets in Bagan, the UNESCO World Heritage Site famed for its ancient Buddhist temples.

"One woman was shot with a rubber bullet in her left leg," a rescue team member told AFP, requesting anonymity.
Security forces opened fire near the ancient city at around 9am local time (02.30 GMT).

"There was one (19-year-old) man who was shot through the jaw and neck in Bagan," Ko Ko, a member of the Bagan rescue team, told AFP.

A state-run newspaper Sunday warned people not to join the rallies.

"The public should be careful not to get involved in the protests to prevent the future of their children being ruined," the Global New Light of Myanmar said.

Yangon-based activist Maung Saungkha said there were coordinated protests across multiple cities and areas on March 7 as part of a two-day general strike.

"We are willing to die for our country," he told...