Army hunts for Fiji rebels

Wounded Fijian soldiers are ferried to hospital in Suva

Fiji's interim Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase has appealed to 15 rebel soldiers, who are on the run after an attempted mutiny, to give themselves up.

In a nationwide address, Mr Qarase told the rebels that their action had not been the right way to seek redress for their grievances.

The army says they have captured at least 12 of the rebels who took part in the mutiny attempt in which at least eight soldiers died.

Five of those killed during a fierce gun battle were rebel soldiers and members of Fiji's Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit (CRW).

An injured soldier is helped from the barracks

Some members of the specialist unit took part in the coup in May, when Fijian nationalists seized parliament and held members of the multi-racial government hostage for almost two months.

A curfew in the capital Suva has now been extended until 0600 on Saturday (1800GMT Friday) to help in the hunt for the remaining rebels.

A military spokesman said 11 rebels had been captured at daybreak hiding in dense bush around the main army barracks and another was caught later in the day.

Four of the rebels are being treated in hospital for unspecified injuries.

Hostages

Reports said the gunbattle at the barracks in Suva erupted at 1300 (0100GMT) on Thursday.

The rebels seized the military headquarters, taking five people hostage.

Frank Bainimarama escaped, then led an assault on the barracks

The army commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, escaped during the fighting.

Troops under his command then launched an assault on the barracks, freeing the hostages.

Crisis

Fiji's political crisis began nearly six months ago when Mr Speight and his gunmen stormed parliament taking Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and members of his multi-ethnic cabinet hostage.

Mr Speight said he was acting in the interests of ethnic Fijians against a political system which he saw as being dominated by ethnic Indians.

Mr Speight and some of his followers, including some CRW members, were later arrested.

The high court is expected to rule shortly on an immunity deal granted by the military to the rebels in return for the safe release of Mr Chaudhry and the other hostages.

The military claims the deal is now invalid because the rebels failed to hand in weapons stolen from the army and used in the uprising.

Mr Speight and his co-accused say the amnesty still stands and protects them from prosecution.