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Soldiers break up Burma protests Soldiers break up Burma protests
(about 1 hour later)
Burmese soldiers and police are baton-charging groups of protesters who are trying to gather in Rangoon. Soldiers and police have baton-charged Burmese protesters who tried to stage a further day of marches in Rangoon.
Security forces have sealed off five monasteries that were focal points of previous mass marches and are trying to prevent further protests. Security forces sealed off five monasteries that were focal points of previous mass marches, in a bid to prevent further demonstrations.
Official media said nine people were killed on Thursday as troops fired tear gas and bullets to clear large crowds of protesters off Rangoon's streets.Official media said nine people were killed on Thursday as troops fired tear gas and bullets to clear large crowds of protesters off Rangoon's streets.
But Australia's ambassador in Burma said the toll was probably higher.But Australia's ambassador in Burma said the toll was probably higher.
The security presence in Rangoon is the heaviest yet, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in neighbouring Thailand. The security presence in Rangoon on Friday was the heaviest yet, says the BBC's South East Asia correspondent, Jonathan Head.
Troops have sealed off the key religious sites in Rangoon, including the Shwedagon and Sule pagodas - the focal point for some of the larger protests earlier in the week. Troops sealed off the key religious sites in Rangoon, including the Shwedagon and Sule pagodas - the focal point of some of the larger protests earlier in the week.
Every civilised nation has a responsibility to stand up for people suffering under a brutal military regime like the one that has ruled Burma for too long US President George W Bush Accounts from Burma Global protests in pictures Send us your comments
All the main roads into central Rangoon have been blocked and soldiers have been progressively moving the barricades to seal off central neighbourhoods.All the main roads into central Rangoon have been blocked and soldiers have been progressively moving the barricades to seal off central neighbourhoods.
Residents of the city say the atmosphere is extremely tense and there is a palpable sense of fear on the streets. Internet severed
The security clampdown appears to have prevented monks from leaving their monasteries. Information from Burma has become increasingly patchy. Internet access has been cut in Rangoon and is only partially available elsewhere.
But some groups of people have managed to assemble only to be dispersed by soldiers wielding batons.
Thousands of protesters confronted soldiers near Sule pagoda, the Irrawaddy news website, run by exiled Burmese, cited a witness as saying.
There are reports that shots have been fired, but it is not clear if they are being fired into the crowds or overhead in warning.
According to AFP news agency, warning shots were fired after a crowd of people north of the Sule pagoda ignored a five-minute warning to disperse.
A witness told the BBC that a number of people had been killed in Friday's violence.
Loudspeaker trucks have been criss-crossing the city, warning people not to protect anyone fleeing arrest.
The trucks have also announced an overnight curfew for the South Okkalapa district, the scene of Thursday's violent encounters between soldiers and protesters.
Communications cut
Burmese sources say internet access has been cut in Rangoon and is only partially available elsewhere.
Dissidents had been making use of the internet to get pictures and video of the protests and the bloody crackdown to international news outlets - who have then fed them back to Burma on the internet and satellite TV.
What next for the regime? Burma rulers cut media flow
BBC sources in Burma have said that international mobile phone signals have been interrupted and soldiers are searching people for cameras and mobile phones.
One of the people killed on Thursday was a Japanese video journalist. According to the official accounts, eight protesters were also killed. One man was reported killed on Wednesday.
Japan said it would make an official protest over the death in Rangoon of Kenji Nagai, a video journalist for Tokyo-based news agency APF News.
Australian Ambassador Bob Davis told his country's ABC radio that the death toll might be "several multiples of the 10 acknowledged by the authorities".
He said witnesses had told embassy officials they had seen "significantly more than that number of dead being removed from the scene of the demonstrations" in Rangoon on Thursday.
Monks seized
On Thursday, soldiers and police fired into crowds of demonstrators in Rangoon and gave them 10 minutes to clear the streets or face the consequences, the Reuters news agency reported.
Religious sites sealed off by troops in RangoonEnlarge ImageReligious sites sealed off by troops in RangoonEnlarge Image
Burmese sources told the BBC that International mobile phone signals have been interrupted and soldiers are searching people for cameras and mobile phones.
Dissidents have been using the internet to get pictures and video of the protests and the military crackdown to international news outlets - who then fed them back into Burma via the internet and satellite TV.
But eyewitnesses managed to contact the BBC on Friday to say that the government was sending bus-loads of vigilantes into the main city to attack the demonstrators.
They said a temporary holding pen had been set up at an old race course for the huge numbers of people detained in recent days.
The atmosphere is said to be extremely tense and there is a palpable sense of fear on the streets.
Warning shots
Correspondents say Rangoon looked like a city locked down on Friday morning but at about 1300 local time (0700GMT), small groups of protesters began gathering.
What next for the regime? Burma rulers cut media flow Global protests in pictures
Some were immediately rounded up. Within minutes, shots could be heard - but it was not clear if they were being fired into the crowds or overhead in warning. A witness told the BBC that a number of people were killed in Friday's violence.
Loudspeaker trucks have been criss-crossing the city, warning people not to protect anyone fleeing arrest.
An overnight curfew for the South Okkalapa district, the scene of Thursday's violent encounters between soldiers and protesters, was also announced.
According to the Burmese officials accounts, a Japanese video journalist and eight protesters were killed on Thursday. One man was reported killed on Wednesday.
Japan said it would make an official protest over the death of Kenji Nagai, an employee of the Tokyo-based news agency, APF News.
But Australian Ambassador Bob Davis told his country's ABC radio that the death toll might be "several multiples of the 10 acknowledged by the authorities".
People seem to be determined to continue, despite the bullets, beatings and killings. I hear right now that shooting is still going on near our office Rangoon resident Accounts from Burma Send us your comments
He said witnesses had told embassy staff they had seen "significantly more than that number of dead being removed from the scene of the demonstrations" in Rangoon.
In addition to the dead, 11 demonstrators and 31 soldiers were hurt, according to the official account.In addition to the dead, 11 demonstrators and 31 soldiers were hurt, according to the official account.
Authorities were trying to stamp out the largest uprising in two decades, led by Buddhist monks whose numbers on the streets appear to have dwindled since the crackdown. Authorities are trying to stamp out the largest uprising in two decades, led by Buddhist monks whose numbers on the streets appear to have dwindled since the crackdown.
Monasteries have been raided and hundreds of monks are thought to have been detained. Pictures from Burma show ransacked monasteries with pools of blood on the ground.Monasteries have been raided and hundreds of monks are thought to have been detained. Pictures from Burma show ransacked monasteries with pools of blood on the ground.
US President George W Bush has condemned the crackdown and has tightened sanctions on Burma's military leaders. The BBC's Jonathan Head says Burma's rulers have turned their backs on the world and the torrent of outrage their actions have provoked.
He also urged China to put more pressure on the country. Beijing has urged all parties to "maintain restraint" but has refused to condemn the junta. The first opportunity to communicate that outrage will be when the UN special envoy, Ibrahim Gambari, arrives in Burma in the next day or two, when he will try to persuade the generals to put a stop to the crackdown.
Burma's other neighbours from the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) expressed "revulsion" over the violence at a meeting of the group's foreign ministers in New York.
The Burmese authorities have agreed to let UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari visit the country. He has stopped in Singapore en route.

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