Australia cuts Myanmar military ties amid ‘rising death toll’
Al Jazeera
Australia was among 13 countries said to have been providing assistance to military that mounted a coup last month.
Australia has suspended its defence cooperation programme with Myanmar amid concern about the “escalating violence and rising death toll,” Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne said as the country’s military steps up its crackdown on enormous protests against its coup last month. Myanmar was plunged into turmoil after the army detained elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and officials from her National League for Democracy party on February 1 and seized control of the country. The coup has triggered a national Civil Disobedience Movement and mass protests in which dozens have been killed. “We continue to strongly urge the Myanmar security forces to exercise restraint and refrain from violence against civilians,” Payne said.More Related News