UN special envoy tells Security Council to act to avoid ’bloodbath’ in Myanmar

United Nations special envoy on Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener told a session of the UN Security Council on Wednesday that "a bloodbath is imminent" in the Southeast Asian country as a crackdown on anti-coup protests escalates.

Schraner Burgener told a closed session of the 15-member council that the military that seized power in Myanmar on Feb. 1 was not capable of managing the country, and warned the situation on the ground would only worsen, according to comments published by UN News.

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"Consider all available tools to take collective action and do what is right, what the people of Myanmar deserve and prevent a multi-dimensional catastrophe in the heart of Asia," she said.

The council must consider "potentially significant action" to reverse the course of events as "a bloodbath is imminent," Schraner Burgener said, according to the news service.

At least 521 civilians have been killed in protests against the coup, 141 of them on Saturday, the bloodiest day of the unrest, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

Fighting has also flared between the army and ethnic minority insurgents in frontier regions. Refugees fleeing the turmoil are seeking safety in neighbouring countries.