SW News: Criticizing the ongoing instability in Myanmar, the head of the military junta has informed that the state of emergency in the country will continue for another six months. The state media on Monday, August 1, reported that the military chief Min Aung Hlaing said, "The members of the security council unanimously supported the proposal to extend the period of the declared state of emergency for another six months."

The junta had previously stated that following an election, they would put an end to the state of emergency by August 2023. It was in February last year that the military toppled the democratic government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. They first declared a state of emergency following the detention of Suu Kyi. Since then, Myanmar has been unstable and faces severe oppression from the military.

The military took over power stating that the election that selected Suu Kyi was invalid with many fraudulent votes. However, International observers said that the election was fair. Without mentioning the date for the election, Hlaing informed that it would be conducted only after the country became "peaceful and stable".

Members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) had asked the military government to put an end to the hostilities and go for a fair election. Stating that the country had been struggling to overcome the pandemic challenges amid the internal conflict in the country, the ASEAN consensus was not implemented.

Hundreds of people were killed, and thousands were detained ever since the military came to power in Myanmar.