Myanmar's first vice president Myint Swe appointed as acting president after military coup: Report

Myanmar's first Vice-President Myint Swe will serve as the acting president of the country, the military-owned Myawady TV announced after the army staged a coup and detained State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday.

Myanmar's first Vice-President Myint Swe will serve as the acting president of the country, the military-owned Myawady TV announced after the army staged a coup and detained State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday. The military on Monday declared a state of emergency in the country for one year.

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. (ANI)

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