Myanmar junta mulls raising village militias to combat opposition to its rule

An anti-coup protester shows the three-finger salute during a march on the anniversary of a 1988 uprising, in Mandalay, Myanmar August 8, 2021 in this still image obtained by Reuters from a social media video.

Yangon, Aug 24, 2021 (AFP): Myanmar's junta is considering raising village militias to combat opposition to its rule, state media said Tuesday, as it struggles to assert control more than six months after seizing power.

The country has been in turmoil since Aung San Suu Kyi's government was ousted in a February coup, sparking huge pro-democracy protests and a bloody military crackdown.