People hold pictures of Myanmar's army chief Min Aung Hlaing with his face crossed out as Myanmar citizens protest against the military coup in Myanmar outside United Nations venue in Bangkok, Thailand February 6, 2021. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa
Myanmar's junta leader on Thursday urged government employees to return to work after absences that he blamed on harassment by "unscrupulous persons", in his first public remarks on the protests against him and a growing civil disobedience campaign.
In a statement issued by the ruling military's official information service, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who led last week's coup against Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government, urged people to avoid gatherings, which he said would fuel the spread of the coronavirus. (Reporting by Reuters Staff; Writing by Martin Petty)
