Clashes in Yangon as Myanmar nears a month of military rule

YANGON: Junta supporters wielding knives and slingshots clashed with anti-coup residents in Myanmar on Thursday, the first such showdown between opposing forces as the nation nears a month of military rule.

The country has been gripped by a torrent of anger, with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets nationwide to call for the release of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and a return to democracy.

Some demonstrations have seen a steady increase in force from authorities—at least five people have been killed since the February 1 coup, while one police officer died in a protest, according to the military.

But on Thursday junta supporters carrying pro-military banners marched through Myanmar’s commercial hub Yangon to boos from residents.

Authorities granted them access to Sule Pagoda, a local landmark at a key junction that in recent days was barricaded to prevent anti-coup protesters from amassing.

By noon, clashes broke out near Yangon Central station’s railway compound, with military supporters carrying pipes, knives and slingshots turning against booing residents, witnesses said.

They fought back, detaining a number of people until police appeared to remove the alleged attackers.

Anti-coup demonstrations continued without incident across the city—students at Yangon University waved the signature red flags of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy Party while medical workers weaved through key junctions.

The so-called “White Coats Revolution” is part of a nationwide civil disobedience movement that has shut down key sectors across Myanmar—including hospitals, schools, and banks—in revolt at the junta.

On Thursday protesters in Mandalay, Yangon and even remote Magway applied thanaka—a traditional tree bark paste used as sunscreen—on their cheeks in the design of a three-finger salute, a symbol of resistance.

The latest rebuke came on Thursday from Facebook, which banned all remaining accounts linked to Myanmar’s military, citing the junta’s use of deadly force against anti-coup protesters. Facebook, along with Twitter and Instagram, is blocked in Myanmar as part of the junta’s expanding chokehold on communications, although banned sites can still be accessed using VPNs.

The World Bank also confirmed it had told the regime all lending would be cut off from February 1 onwards “as a result of recent developments”.