Myanmar extends state of emergency for six months

Myanmar's junta chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing (Courtesy: Reuters photo)

Myanmar's ruling military has extended a state of emergency for another six months, state media reported on Friday, a day ahead of the four-year anniversary of a coup that plunged the country into chaos after a decade of tentative democracy.

Myanmar has been locked in a civil war triggered by the military's overthrow of the elected civilian government of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi. The junta plans this year to hold an election, which critics have derided as a sham to keep the generals in power through proxies.

"There are still more tasks to be done to hold the general election successfully. Especially for a free and fair election, stability and peace is still needed," state-run MRTV said on its Telegram channel in announcing the extension of emergency rule.