UNITED STATES

Biden condemns bloodshed in Myanmar

US president calls crackdown on pro-democracy protesters 'absolutely outrageous'

Biden: It's absolutely outrageous and based on the reporting I've gotten, an awful lot of people have been killed totally unnecessarily. Archive

H. J. I. / AA

US President Joe Biden has joined other world leaders on condemning the bloodshed in Myanmar, where people are protesting against the Feb. 1 military coup.

-It's absolutely outrageous and based on the reporting I've gotten, an awful lot of people have been killed totally unnecessarily- he told reporters on Sunday.

At least 141 people, including children, were shot dead by Myanmar's ruling military regime on Saturday in a violent crackdown on weeks of pro-democracy protests.

The bloodshed came on Armed Forces Day, an annual parade, when the ruling military regime was seen as showcasing its strength.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the regime's celebration of its armed forces was damaged by "a day of horror and of shame."

Turkey has also "strongly condemned" the crackdown, saying: "We follow with concern that the Military Regime in Myanmar has further increased the use of deadly force against civilians, ignoring the calls of the international community."