SUVA, Fiji (2 Nov 2000) -- Eight are dead and 28 wounded after a fierce gun battle broke out between rebel troops and regular soldiers. The rebel soldiers are from the Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit (CRW) that backed the May 19 coup, which toppled Fiji's democratically elected government and set off a series of violent incidents and lawlessness throughout the country. The gun battle erupted when rebel soldiers stormed Fiji's military headquarters in Suva and attempted to capture military commander, Frank Bainimarama. Bainimarama escaped with his bodyguards and launched a counterattack with soldiers loyal to Fiji's military-backed government. Five rebel soldiers and three regular soldiers were killed in fierce fighting as Bainimarama's troops regained control of the military headquarters. "The army is back in control," said Laisenia Qarase, who was appointed interim prime minister by the military after the coup. A curfew has been imposed to protect citizens and tourists as regular military troops search for rebels who escaped during the fighting. The capital city of Suva is now almost deserted and schools and businesses have been closed. | | Wounded rushed to hospital after soldiers muntiny Officials have expressed concern that the latest outbreak of violence might again spread to other parts of Fiji where resort hotels were taken over by armed locals after the May 19 coup. The death toll is the worst since racist rebel leader George Speight and his followers stormed parliament and and comes just as tourists and dive travellers were starting to trickle back, lured by half-price discounts. © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORK |
