U Than Htay, chairman of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), told the BBC in an exclusive interview that more than 1,500 USDP members and supporters had been killed in the assassinations.

An exclusive interview between the USDP chairman U Than Htay and the BBC was published on the BBC Burmese Facebook Page on May 11.

In an exclusive interview, the USDP chairman said the party members told him they were being targeted and asked how the party is taking responsibility for the issue.

"Because of these atrocities, more than 1,500 party members and supporters of the party have been killed. It was about 1,530 now. So I am very sorry about that,” he said.

He added that his grief was an incomparable word compared to the feelings of those who lost their families in the assassinations.

The party has provided cash and security for its members and supporters, he said.

"We don’t have weapons and authority but we take care of them in safe places in different cities including the party headquarters by providing affordable food. That is all we can do,” he said.

He said they cannot provide the security that a government provides. The USDP is a political party and that is they could only do so much financially.

Requests to provide weapons caused by reciprocal attacks are in accordance with the law. They had not asked for provide weapon and that those, who have responsibility to allow, would not be willing to do so, he said.