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Monks seize troops in Burma town Monks release Burmese officials
(about 6 hours later)
Buddhist monks have taken about 20 members of the security forces hostage in central Burma, a day after clashes at a protest rally. Twenty Burmese security officials who were taken captive for several hours by Buddhist monks have been released.
On Wednesday the security forces fired shots into the air to disperse some 400 monks demonstrating in Pakokku town. The officials arrived at the monastery in the town of Pakokku to apologise for injuries caused during a protest on Wednesday about fuel price rises.
When officials came to the monastery on Thursday, the monks locked them inside and set their vehicles on fire. But angry monks set fire to their vehicles and refused to let them leave in one of the most heated of a series of protests over the price increases.
A series of anti-government protests have been held since the military junta doubled fuel prices last month. The officials were freed after a senior abbot intervened.
'Tyrannical behaviour' Crowds applaud
The officials had reportedly come to apologise for the clashes at Wednesday's demonstration. On Wednesday security forces had fired shots into the air to disperse 400 people in a rare demonstration by monks in Pakokku, 500km (310 miles) north of the country's commercial capital, Rangoon.
But the monks burned four of the vehicles they came in and locked them inside the monastery. There have been protests around Burma since the fuel price rise
There have been protests around Burma since the fuel price riseHundreds of people gathered outside the gates to applaud the monks. At least three monks were hurt, witnesses said.
"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." When officials came to the monastery on Thursday, they were locked inside.
The government doubled the price of petrol and diesel on 15 August. The price of compressed natural gas - used for buses - increased five-fold. Hundreds of people gathered outside the gates to applaud the monks.
The first group of five captives was freed after about five hours and the remainder about 45 minutes later, witnesses said.
A series of anti-government protests has been held since the military junta doubled the price of petrol and diesel on 15 August.
The price of compressed natural gas - used for buses - increased fivefold.
The move was not announced ahead of time and the reasons behind it remain unclear, but it has hit people hard.The move was not announced ahead of time and the reasons behind it remain unclear, but it has hit people hard.
Since the price rise, there have been a series of protests, both in the main city, Rangoon, and in other towns around the country.
The demonstrations have continued despite the arrests of many of Burma's most prominent activists.The demonstrations have continued despite the arrests of many of Burma's most prominent activists.
Dozens of people are now thought to be in detention.Dozens of people are now thought to be in detention.
On Wednesday, US President George W Bush condemned the crackdown by the Burmese authorities.On Wednesday, US President George W Bush condemned the crackdown by the Burmese authorities.
"It's inexcusable that we've got this kind of tyrannical behaviour in Asia," he said."It's inexcusable that we've got this kind of tyrannical behaviour in Asia," he said.