Myanmar's military

The spokesman of the military junta that rules Myanmar said that Myanmar's military has lost control of a strategic northern city on the Chinese border after days of clashes with three ethnic armed groups.

Air strikes by Myanmar's military killed as many as 80 people, including singers and musicians, attending an anniversary celebration of the Kachin ethnic minority's main political organization, members of the group and a rescue worker said Monday.

China's top diplomat on Saturday arrived on his first visit to Myanmar since the military seized power last year to attend a regional meeting that the government said was a recognition of its legitimacy and opponents protested as a violation of peace efforts.

Turkey on March 15 strongly condemned the continued use of force on civilians by Myanmar's military.

"We strongly condemn the continued use of deadly force by the military regime against its own people during peaceful protests ignoring the calls of the international community," said a Foreign Ministry statement.

Indian security forces stepped up patrols on the border with Myanmar to stop refugees entering after some police officers crossed over to escape taking orders from the military junta there, officials said.

The move follows the defection over the border of some low-ranking Myanmar police officers who were unwilling to obey orders to suppress demonstrations against the junta.

At least 38 people were killed in Myanmar on Wednesday in what the UN described as the "bloodiest day" since the coup took place a month ago.

UN envoy to Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener said there was shocking footage coming out of the country.

Witnesses said security forces opened fire with rubber and live bullets.

Myanmar's military tightened their post-coup grip on power, stepping up a campaign of intimidation against the ousted civilian leadership while pushing harsher tactics as a fifth consecutive day of nationwide demonstrations began on Feb. 10.

Myanmar's military has seized power after detaining Aung San Suu Kyi and other democratically elected leaders.

In the early hours of Monday, the army's TV station said power had been handed over to commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing.

Turkey on Feb. 1 "strongly" condemned a coup in Myanmar announced by the Southeast Asian country's military early on Feb. 1.

In a written statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said the country was "deeply concerned" by the power grab as "Turkey opposes any kind of military intervention."

Myanmar's military seized power in a bloodless coup on Feb. 1, detaining democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi as it imposed a one-year state of emergency.