Myanmar Violence Escalates With Rise of 'Self-defense' Groups, Report Says

YANGON, MYANMAR - Violence in post-coup Myanmar has escalated as anti-junta "self-defense" forces step up to take on the military, according to a new report warning of “enormous” human cost if the regime uses its full power in subsequent crackdowns.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the February coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's government, with more than 880 killed in a junta crackdown on dissent, according to a local monitoring group. In some areas, locals, often using hunting rifles or weapons manufactured at makeshift jungle factories, have formed "defense forces" to fight back. In response, the military has used helicopters and artillery, including against groups in northwestern Chin state and along the eastern border with Thailand.