Army seizes power, arrests leader Aung San Suu Kyi

 

Myanmar's military has seized power in a coup against the democratically elected government of Nobel Prize-winning leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and she and other leaders of her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), were killed during early morning raids. Was taken into custody.

The army said in a statement on a military-owned TV station that it had carried out the arrests in response to the election fraud, which brought military chief Man Aung Hlaing to power, according to Reuters. Has been and the state of emergency has been declared for one year.

Phone lines to the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, and the main commercial center, Yangon, were cut off, and state TV was shut down before the first session of parliament.

The NLD won the November election, which was seen as a referendum on Aung San Suu Kyi's democratic government.

Locals say troops have taken up positions in Yangon's City Hall and that mobile internet data and phone services in the NLD stronghold have also been affected.

Network blocks also reported a dramatic decline in Internet connectivity.

Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's president, and other NLD leaders were "arrested" early in the morning, NLD spokesman Mayo Newton said by phone.

"I want to tell my people not to react and I want them to act according to the law," he said.

He said he expected to be arrested himself, but could not be reached for comment.

The detention comes after days of escalating tensions between the civilian government and the military, which have raised fears of an election-led uprising.