Foreign Office urges Britons to flee Myanmar due to violence from military coup
Britons have been told to flee Myanmar unless they have an “urgent” reason to remain there as the Government grew increasingly concerned over violence in the wake of the military coup.
The Foreign Office advised British nationals on Friday to leave the south-east Asian country by commercial means after one of the bloodiest days of the regime’s crackdown.
At least 10 people protesting against the coup were shot dead by Myanmar’s security forces on Thursday, as an independent UN expert cited mounting evidence of crimes against humanity.
Updated advice for British Nationals in Myanmar: You should leave the country by commercial means unless you have an urgent reason to stay. The embassy and the 🇬🇧 will continue working in 🇲🇲 to support a return to democracy and an end to the violence. https://t.co/tWzLNuTiwo
— UK in Myanmar 🇬🇧 (@ukinmyanmar) March 12, 2021
Protests, strikes and other forms of civil disobedience have gripped the nation since the coup toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s government on February 1.
Around 300 British nationals are estimated to still be in Myanmar, with the vast majority being residents while a small number are thought to be on short-term business.
They were urged to leave as concerns of a deteriorating security situation mounted, with an escalation of violence in residential areas.
The official guidance was updated to: “Advice for British nationals to leave the country by commercial means, unless there is an urgent need to stay.”
