Myanmar military seizes power, detains elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi

Myanmar’s military announced a one-year state of emergency, reasserting its grip on the country with a coup against its fledgling civilian government.

The declaration signed by First Vice President U Myint Swe, who is serving as the acting president, was announced on the military-owned Myawady TV, Xinhua reported. The state power will be handed over to Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services Min Aung Hlaing, the statement said.

U Myint Swe previously served as Acting President of Myanmar after the resignation of then-President Htin Kyaw on March 21, 2018.

The state-run Radio and Television (MRTV) announced on its social media page that it was no longer working on Monday morning, Xinhua reported.

Telecommunications in the capital city of Naypyitaw and some other regions and states are also being cut off.

In the early morning raids, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint and other senior officials were detained by the military.

This comes in wake of the tensions between the government and the military stoking fears of a coup. The country was under military rule till 2011. Suu Kyi spent many years under house arrest, according to media reports.

The newly-elected lower house of the parliament was due to convene on Monday, however, the military called for a postponement. Media reports also suggest that telephone and internet lines in Naypyitaw, the country’s capital, have been suspended.

According to Sputnik, in January, Myanmar’s military raised the prospect of a coup d’etat after what they believed was widespread voter fraud during the November 8 election, which was the country’s second general election since the end of military rule in 2011.