Myanmar began voting in a widely criticized election held by the military government, nearly five years after it took power in a coup. Many major political parties are banned, and several leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi, are jailed. The military aims to legitimize its rule despite an ongoing civil war and widespread opposition. Polling started on Sunday amid explosions in Mandalay and Myawaddy regions. These attacks injured several people and killed a child. Despite this, some voters said the voting process felt "disciplined and systematic." Ma Su ZarChi from Mandalay said, "Before I voted, I was afraid. Now that I have voted, I feel relieved." The junta, supported by China, says it wants to return Myanmar to a multi-party democracy. Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing told the BBC the election would be "free and fair" but warned non-voters are rejecting "progress toward democracy." More than 200 people face charges, including a seven-year jail sentence for some critics of election propaganda. The UN's top human rights official, Volker Türk, said freedoms are suppressed, with armed rebel groups also urging voters to boycott. The election is held in three phases across 265 out of 330 townships; many areas remain too unstable due to ongoing conflict. Half the country is expected to skip voting. Six parties are running nationwide, while 40 others, including Suu Kyi's National League of Democracy, are banned. Residents express little hope. An 80-year-old from Chin state said, "The military does not know how to govern our country... But now all we do is cry and shed tears." Western nations have called the election a sham, and ASEAN seeks political talks before any vote. Results are expected by the end of January.