By Martin Petty

(Reuters) – British American Tobacco (NYSE:) announced Tuesday that it will end all military operations in Myanmar and pull out by the end this year. This is the latest Western company to withdraw from the troubled country since the February coup.

The company responded to a question from Reuters asking about its Myanmar operations.

According to the company: “Like any multinational company, we constantly assess our operations throughout the world.”

We have made the decision to end all operations in Myanmar after having evaluated its long-term commercial and operational viability.

Myanmar is in turmoil since the coup. It has ended a decade-long period of democratic and economic transition that had followed a half-century of military rule, years of western sanctions and years of economic hardship.

In the initial weeks following the coup, many large companies in Myanmar pledged their support to the country. However, a prolonged army crackdown and protests that lasted months and the deaths of over 1,000 civilians have forced many businesses to reconsider.

The reason BAT (LON) decided to leave the country was not explained.

BAT was established in Myanmar in 2013. It began operations in Myanmar two years after the establishment of a quasi civil government under technocrats.

Now, the fragile country’s economy is in serious trouble. The kyat currency lost more than 60% of it value last month. This has pushed up food and fuel prices. The World Bank predicts a 18% decrease in gross domestic products this year.

United States, Canada, Britain, and Canada have responded with targeted sanctions to stop the militarization of the United States and its extensive network of business interests.