Myanmar's junta dissolves ousted leader Suu Kyi's party

Myanmar's junta has ordered the dissolution of the political party of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, labeling her and fellow party members "traitors."

A junta-appointed electoral commission was tasked with dissolving the National League for Democracy Party (NLD) due to alleged election fraud, local news outlet Myanmar Now reported on Friday, Press TV reported.

The NLD committed election fraud in elections last year "so we will have to dissolve the party's registration," said the chairman of the Union Election Commission (UEC), Thein Soe. "Those who did that will be considered as traitors and we will take action."

The Myanmarese military took power in a coup d'état in February 1, and detained the de facto leader and many other political leaders over fraud in last year's elections, which had given the NLD enough seats in parliament to form the next government.

Ever since, mass protests have been taking place across the country and the military has been brutally cracking down on protesters.

More than 800 people have so far been killed by the military, according to the Assistance Association of Political Prisoners (AAPP). Nearly 4,000 people have also been detained.

Ethnic armed groups — who have maintained their own forces for decades — have also recently been engaged in combat with military forces in support of the protesters.

The Kachin Army (KIA) in the north and the Karen National Union (KNU) in the east are the two most important armed groups in the country.

MG