US govt slaps sanctions on Myanmar in response to military coup

"The February 1 coup was a direct assault on Burma's transition to democracy and the rule of law," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement

The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on Myanmar's acting president and several other military officers and warned the generals there could be more economic punishment as Washington responds to the military coup.
 

The US Treasury Department said it targeted eight people, including the defense minister, three companies in the jade and gems sector, and updated sanctions on the top two military officials, accusing them of playing a leading role in overthrowing Myanmar's democratically-elected government.
 

But Washington stopped short of including the entire Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC), the military's conglomerates that are prevalent throughout