Burma military coup

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Burma military coup

Burma's President, Prime Minister and other leading figures have been detained in an early morning raid

Myanmar political leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, detained by the military, her party says https://t.co/VpWECK3dWL

— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) January 31, 2021

Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of Myanmar's governing National League for Democracy (NLD) party, has been arrested, the spokesman for the party said.

It comes amid tensions between the civilian government and the military, stoking fears of a coup.

At elections in November, the NLD won enough seats to form a government, but the army says the vote was fraudulent.

Myanmar, also known as Burma, was ruled by the military until 2011. Ms Suu Kyi spent many years under house arrest.

The newly elected lower house of parliament was due to convene for the first time on Monday but the military was calling for a postponement.

Soldiers are out on the streets of Rangoon apparently.

Burma's military, much like that of Egypt and Pakistan, has had an iron grip over the country since independence from Britain in 1947.