The US has said that it is ‘horrified’ by the killing of scores of anti-coup protesters in Myanmar on Saturday.

 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused the military of “a reign of terror” that was “sacrificing the lives of the people to serve the few”, BBC reports.

 

Saturday was the deadliest day since last month’s military takeover.

 

The defence chiefs of a dozen nations, including the UK, on Sunday, issued a rare joint statement condemning the military’s violent actions.

 

The US, Japan and Australia were also among the signatories of a statement that said:

 

“A professional military follows international standards for conduct and is responsible for protecting – not harming – the people it serves.”

 

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply shocked” at the violence and British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called it a “new low”.

 

The EU delegation to Myanmar said Saturday – officially Armed Forces Day – would “stay engraved as a day of terror and dishonour”.

 

The lethal crackdown against civilians – including children – came as protesters defied warnings and took to the streets in towns and cities.

 

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) monitoring group confirmed at least 91 deaths while local media put the figure higher.

 

“They are killing us like birds or chickens, even in our homes,” resident Thu Ya Zaw told Reuters news agency in the central town of Myingyan.

 

“We will keep protesting regardless.”

 

The latest violence took the number killed in the suppression of protests in Myanmar since the 1 February coup to more than 400.

 

The military seized control of the South East Asian country after an election which Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party won by a landslide.