Myanmar's military has taken control of the country after Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and other political leaders were detained earlier today. 

After the arrests, military-owned Myawaddy TV has confirmed a state of emergency had been declared for one year under the commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing. 

Military chief Min Aung Hlaing has taken the reigns. Image source via Reuters

Soldiers are reported to be on the streets of Nay Pyi Taw and also Yangon. 

In the last election, Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won enough seats to form a government, but the army refused the vote, calling it a fraud. 

Myanmar lawmakers were to gather today in the capital Nay Pyi Taw for the first session of Parliament since last year's election.

The BBC's South East Asia correspondent, Jonathan Head, says the coup appears to be a clear violation of the constitution drafted by the military more than a decade ago; and which it promised to honour.

"The United States is alarmed by reports that the Burmese military has taken steps to undermine the country's democratic transition, including the arrest of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and other civilian officials in Burma," said White House spokesperson Jen Psaki. She also said President Joe Biden had been briefed on the reported developments.

Mobile internet data connections and some phone services have been disrupted in major cities like Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw. 

There are also reports that people in Yangon are rushing to get their money from the ATMs. Some ATMs are reported not to be working, and it was also unclear whether the banks will be open.