Myanmar's junta extends emergency, 4th time since coup

ISTANBUL

The military junta in Myanmar extended Monday the state of emergency for the fourth time since it launched a coup in 2021.

Myanmar’s National Defense and Security Council announced that the state of emergency which ends on July 31, was extended for six more months, the Myanmar Now website reported.

The last time junta extended the state of emergency was in February this year.

The council also discussed delayed elections in the Buddhist-majority Southeast Asian nation.

The Burmese military, locally known as Tatmadaw, launched a military coup on Feb. 01, 2021, overthrowing the government of the National League for Democracy and imprisoning its leadership, including Aung San Suu Kyi.

According to the UN, over 1.5 million people were displaced in the past two years, with more than five million children in dire need of humanitarian aid in Myanmar.

At least 2,890 people lost their lives at the hands of the military and those working with them, while 767 were initially taken into custody since the military took power, the UN data showed.

Meanwhile, a bomb blast in the southeastern Karen state killed one person and injured 12 others on Monday.

A car explosion occurred close to the Thanlwin Bridge checkpoint at approximately 6:50 a.m. (1220GMT), The Irrawaddy news website reported.