Military leaders retire from Burmese junta

The ruling military junta carried out a major reshuffle yesterday, retiring more than a dozen leaders in an apparent move to prepare for national elections in November.

There were conflicting reports about whether the two leading members of the regime – Senior General Than Shwe and his second-in-command, General Maung Aye, had stepped down from the military while retaining their respective posts as chairman and vice-chairman of the junta.

The generals are believed to have stepped down from their military posts so they can stand for election on 7 November in the first polls in two decades.