Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi looks on as health workers receive a vaccine for the Covid-19 coronavirus at a hospital in Naypyidaw on January 27, 2021. (Photo:  AFP | Getty Images)

The army said it had carried out the detentions in response to what it called “election fraud”, handing power to military chief Min Aung Hlaing and imposing a state of emergency for one year.

Suu Kyi, Myanmar President Win Myint and other NLD leaders had been “taken” in the early hours of the morning, NLD spokesman MyoNyunt told Reuters by phone.

Political tensions soared last week when a military spokesman declined to rule out a coup ahead of the new parliament convening on Monday, and military chief Min Aung Hlaing raised the prospect of repealing the constitution.