Protests in Myanmar as junta chief marks Armed Forces Day

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — The head of Myanmar’s junta has used the occasion of the country’s Armed Forces Day to try to justify the overthrow of the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, as protesters marked the holiday by calling for even bigger demonstrations. He made only an oblique reference to the nationwide protests that show no signs of stopping. People in cities and towns around Myanmar marked the public holiday by again demonstrating against the Feb. 1 coup. In several locations, security forces sought to disperse them forcefully, as has become standard practice. Reports on social media, not immediately verified, said several demonstrators were shot dead Saturday morning. The death toll since the takeover has reached 328, according to a group that documents deaths and arrests.