Myanmar junta chief takes over as acting President

Myanmar's acting president has taken medical leave and transferred his duties to military chief Min Aung Hlaing, the junta said on Monday.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military seized power in 2021, deposing the government of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, reports AFP.

Acting president U Myint Swe "took sick leave and is getting treatment according to his current health situation", the junta's information team said in a statement.

"Acting president duties have been handed over... to the chairman of State Administration Council," he said, using the name the junta calls itself.

Myint Swe was vice president under the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi that the military ousted in 2021.

He was later appointed acting president by the junta.

He had been suffering "psychomotor retardation and malnutrition," state media said on Friday.

A state of emergency imposed by the junta when it seized power and extended several times is due to expire at the end of July.

The military seized power making unsubstantiated claims of fraud during the 2020 election won resoundingly by Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.

Its subsequent crackdown on dissent has sparked a widespread armed uprising that the military is struggling to crush.

The junta has said it will hold fresh elections in 2025.

But critics say the proposed polls will be neither free nor fair.