Fury over Taleban destruction

There's been a furious reaction across East Asia to the destruction of Afghanistan's historic Buddhist statues by the Taleban.

Thailand was among the first to condemn the destruction; it's now urging the United Nations cultural agency, UNESCO, to buy the ancient statues.

Vietnam has made a rare departure from its policy of not commenting on other country's affairs and issued a statement condemning the destruction.

It said the move would spark a cultural tragedy for the Afghan people, and for the common civilisation of mankind.

In Malaysia, politicians and civil rights groups have urged the government to condemn the Taleban's action. A leading civil rights worker, Chandra Muzaffar, said that the Taleban's hostility and antagonism towards Buddhism revealed their ignorance, arrogance and bigotry.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service