All eyes on Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing as military seizes power

Myanmar's powerful military chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, is in the spotlight after politicians from the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party were detained and the army announced it was taking power.

Myanmar's military is notoriously reclusive and even sophisticated observers know little about its inner workings.

Here are some key facts about its leader and the army's enduring role in the political system:

Military's role in politics

The military ruled directly for nearly 50 years after a 1962 coup and had long seen itself as the guardian of national unity.

As the architect of Myanmar's 2008 constitution, the military enshrined a permanent