Monks seize troops in Burma town

Buddhist monks have taken about 20 members of the security forces hostage in central Burma, a day after clashes at a protest rally.

On Wednesday the security forces fired shots into the air to disperse some 400 monks demonstrating in Pakokku town. When officials came to the monastery on Thursday, the monks locked them inside and set their vehicles on fire.

The officials had reportedly come to apologise for the clashes at Wednesday's demonstration. But the monks burned four of the vehicles they came in and locked them inside the monastery.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the gates to applaud the monks. "The security forces outside the monastery are too afraid to go near the crowd," one resident told the French news agency AFP. "They won't even show their walkie-talkies."

A series of anti-government protests have been held since the military junta doubled fuel prices last month.

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Monks seize troops in Burma town