Myanmar's military leader reiterates promise to hold elections

Myanmar's military leader Min Aung Hlaing on Saturday reiterated a promise to hold elections and said that violent acts were inappropriate.

Addressing the annual Army Day parade, he said the army had to seize power on February 1 because of unlawful acts by the ousted ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) of now detained leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Some party leaders had been found guilty of corruption and legal action was being taken against them, he added.

The country has been in turmoil since the military detained Aung San Suu Kyi and other officials on February 1, citing allegations of fraud in the November election which the NLD won.

According to data released by the UN human rights office on March 17, at least 149 people in the country have beenkilled as a result of unlawful use of lethal force since the military takeover on February 1.

More than 600 people

detained during protests have been released this week, according to media reports.

(Cover: City view in Yangon, Myanmar. /CFP)

(With inputs from Reuters)