As Myanmar returns to military rule under his leadership, Min Aung Hlaing now looks set to extend his power and shape the country's immediate future. The 64-year-old general has spent his entire career in the influential military, which he joined as a cadet. A former law student at Yangon University, he entered the Defence Services Academy on his third attempt in 1974. The relatively unassuming infantryman kept getting regular promotions and moved up the ladder, eventually becoming commander of the Bureau of Special Operations-2 in 2009.
onsdag 3. februar 2021
Myanmar coup: Min Aung Hlaing, the general who seized power
Min Aung Hlaing rose steadily through the ranks of the Tatmadaw, Myanmar's powerful military, but as commander-in-chief for the past decade he also wielded significant political influence before the 1 February coup. He successfully maintained the Tatmadaw's power even as Myanmar transitioned to democracy, but received international condemnation and sanctions for his alleged role in the military's attacks of ethnic minorities.
As Myanmar returns to military rule under his leadership, Min Aung Hlaing now looks set to extend his power and shape the country's immediate future. The 64-year-old general has spent his entire career in the influential military, which he joined as a cadet. A former law student at Yangon University, he entered the Defence Services Academy on his third attempt in 1974. The relatively unassuming infantryman kept getting regular promotions and moved up the ladder, eventually becoming commander of the Bureau of Special Operations-2 in 2009.
As Myanmar returns to military rule under his leadership, Min Aung Hlaing now looks set to extend his power and shape the country's immediate future. The 64-year-old general has spent his entire career in the influential military, which he joined as a cadet. A former law student at Yangon University, he entered the Defence Services Academy on his third attempt in 1974. The relatively unassuming infantryman kept getting regular promotions and moved up the ladder, eventually becoming commander of the Bureau of Special Operations-2 in 2009.
