News in photos: Troubling scenes in Myanmar as military takes over

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Police sit in vehicles along a road in Yangon on February 1, 2021, as Myanmar’s military detained the country’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the country’s president in a coup. (Photo by STR / AFP)
Police sit in vehicles along a road in Yangon on February 1, 2021, as Myanmar’s military detained the country’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the country’s president in a coup. (Photo by STR / AFP)
Soldiers stand guard on a blockaded road to Myanmar’s parliament in Naypyidaw on February 1, 2021, after the military detained the country’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the country’s president in a coup. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP)
Soldiers stand guard on a blockaded road to Myanmar’s parliament in Naypyidaw on February 1, 2021, after the military detained the country’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the country’s president in a coup. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP)
Soldiers stand guard on a blockaded road to Myanmar’s parliament in Naypyidaw on February 1, 2021, after the military detained the country’s de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the country’s president in a coup. (Photo by STR / AFP)

 

These are just some of the scenes in Myanmar as captured in photos by a stringer of Agence France Presse.

The military staged a coup early Monday, Feb. 1, 2021 in Myanmar just as the parliament was supposed to start session.

The military detained de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi early Monday — hours before a newly elected parliament dominated by her NLD party was expected to take its seats for the first time since November polls.

By 8:30 am (0200 GMT), a state of emergency was announced and former general Myint Swe was appointed acting president — sinking the country back into direct military rule after barely a decade-long experiment with democracy.

Myint then turned over control of the “legislation, administration and judiciary” to Myanmar General Min Aung Hlaing — effectively returning Myanmar to military rule, in a statement read out on military-run Myawaddy TV.

Aside from Suu Kyi, Myanmar President Win Myint and other senior ministers were also reportedly detained.

World leaders denounced the coup and called for the immediate release of State Counsellor Suu Kyi and Myanmar President Win Myint, and other detained civilian leaders.

(reports from Eagle News Service, Agence France Presse, with AFP photos)