YANGON: Myanmar’s junta extended the country’s state of emergency by six months on Monday, signalling a delay in elections they had pledged to hold as the military battles anti-coup fighters across the country.

The Southeast Asian nation has been ravaged by deadly violence since a coup deposed Aung San Suu Kyi’s government more than two years ago, unleashing a crackdown on dissent that has sparked fighting across swathes of the nation while tanking the economy.

Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing acknowledged that much of the nation is not under full military control, according to state media. The junta-stacked National Defence and Security Council (NDSC) agreed to prolong the state of emergency that was declared when the generals toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s government.

The “state of emergency period would be extended another six months starting from August 1,” state media quoted acting president Myint Swe as saying.

Myanmar’s military-drafted 2008 constitution, which the junta has said is still in force, requires authorities to hold fresh elections within six months of a state of emergency being lifted.

The junta had previously promised fresh polls by August.

Min Aung Hlaing said fighting continued in Sagaing, Magway, Bago and Tanintharyi regions as well as Karen, Kayah and Chin states. “We need for a time to continue our duty for systematic preparation as we shouldn’t hold coming elections in a rush,” he told the gathering, according to MRTV.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2023