TheCable

Myanmar’s military has detained the country’s de-facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi and other senior government officials following a coup.

The military seized power on Monday morning, less than 10 years after it handed over power to a civilian government.

A state of emergency has also been declared for one year.

Residents were said to have woken up to a blackout after communication channels were blocked, with access granted to only the Military TV.

Soldiers were also seen patrolling streets in Nay Pyi Taw, the capital, and Yangon, the main city.

The BBC quoted the military as saying it was handing over power to Min Aung Hlaing, its commander-in-chief, because of “election fraud”.

It faulted last November’s general election, which Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) won by a landslide.

Suu Kyi, who was detained alongside President Win Myint, reportedly called on citizens not to accept the military coup.

“The actions of the military are actions to put the country back under a dictatorship,” a statement from NLD quoted her to have said.

“I urge people not to accept this, to respond and wholeheartedly to protest against the coup by the military.”

The coup comes after heightened political tension in the country amid the rumor that the military could step in over the disputed election.

Myanmar had been under military control until democratic reforms began in 2011.