Eight killed in Indonesian clashes

Police in Indonesia say at least eight people have been killed in sectarian violence in Central Sualwesi province.

Police officials said that security forces opened fire on a gang of about 100 Christians who attacked a Muslim district on the outskirts of Poso Town late on Saturday.

At least six bodies are reported to have been taken to the hospital and police said that shortly afterwards they shot dead two members of radical Muslim group Lashkar Jihad travelling toward the trouble spot.

Correspondents say the Lashkar Jihad has been directly involved in the conflict between the Christian and Muslim communities in the Moluccan Islands, in which thousands of people have been killed.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service