Myanmar: US military chiefs condemn deadly violence against protesters

United States Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and his counterparts from various countries on Saturday (local time) condemned the deadly use of force by Myanmar Armed Forces against unarmed protesters.

Chief of Defense from various countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America condemned the bloodshed in Myanmar by the armed forces and associated security services.

Joint Chiefs of Staff released a joint statement saying that "As Chiefs of Defense, we condemn the use of lethal force against unarmed people by the Myanmar Armed Forces and associated security services.

"A professional military follows international standards for conduct and is responsible for protecting - not harming - the people it serves. We urge the Myanmar Armed Forces to cease violence and work to restore respect and credibility with the people of Myanmar that it has lost through its actions," the statement added.

In a Tweet, United States Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said, "The recent reports of violence out of Myanmar (Burma) are deeply disturbing. I stand with General Milley, Admiral Davidson, and other military leaders around the world in condemning this violence."

Taking to Twitter, US Secretary Antony Blinken also condemned the attack and said, "We are horrified by the bloodshed perpetrated by Burmese security forces, showing that the junta will sacrifice the lives of the people to serve the few. I send my deepest condolences to the victims' families. The courageous people of Burma reject the military's reign of terror."

This statement comes after 114 civilians were killed across Myanmar on Saturday as the military junta continued to crackdown on peaceful protests.

On February 1, Myanmar's military overthrew the civilian government and declared a year-long state of emergency while detaining civilian leaders including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. The coup triggered mass protests which were met by the junta's deadly violence.