Myanmar's military has engaged in systematic human rights violations, many amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity, the United Nations said on Tuesday, in its first comprehensive human rights report since last year's coup.

Thomas H Andrews, UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, praised the efforts that Qatar Charity (QC) makes in support of the Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh.

Five people were killed and at least 15 arrested after Myanmar security forces in a car rammed into an anti-coup protest on Sunday morning in Yangon, local news portal Myanmar Now reported.

A Myanmar junta court on Friday sentenced an American journalist to 11 years in prison on charges of unlawful association, incitement against the military and breaching visa rules, his employer said.

The US has "deep concerns" about the situation in Myanmar following February's coup, urging the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to take action, the State Department said Tuesday.

A prominent ethnic rebel group in Myanmar suspended one of its key leaders this week, a spokesman said Saturday, as it investigates an alleged massacre of civilians on its territory.

Two elephants were being led to safety Wednesday after crossing from Myanmar to Bangladesh, getting stranded on a beach and nearly dying at sea.

Myanmar security forces backed by armoured vehicles clashed on Tuesday with a newly formed militia group in the second-biggest city of Mandalay, according to social media posts from the group and media reports.

A Myanmar military truck exploded in one of two blasts near an office of an army-backed political party in the country's biggest city on Friday, local media reported, and a senior rescue official said two people were killed and six wounded.

Myanmar's deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi appeared in person at a court hearing on Monday for the first time since her government was overthrown by the military in a Feb. 1 coup, her lawyer told Reuters.

The number of people from Myanmar seeking shelter in India has swelled to more than 15,000, with more likely to cross over as fighting intensifies in parts Myanmar following a coup, an Indian government official said on Tuesday.

Myanmar's ruling military, which is facing nationwide protests against the coup that removed the elected government three months ago, said on Friday it would not agree to a visit by a Southeast Asian envoy until it could establish stability.