Military coup in Myanmar as Suu Kyi detained

Feb 01, 2021

Military coup in Myanmar as Suu Kyi detained ^Featured

Myanmar's military has taken control of the country after Aung San Suu Kyi and other political leaders were arrested in the early hours.

Hours after the arrests, military TV confirmed a state of emergency had been declared for one year.

The coup comes after tensions rose between the civilian government and the military following a disputed election.

Myanmar, also known as Burma, was ruled by the military until democratic reforms began in 2011.

The military said on Monday it was handing power to commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing. Soldiers are on the streets of the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, and the main city, Yangon.

In November's election, Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won enough seats to form a government. The army says the vote was fraudulent.

Military chief Min Aung Hlaing Military_chief_Min_Aung_Hlaing