Caroline Gluck reporting from Phnom Penh

Opposition party protesters had gathered near the home of the opposition leader, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, to demonstrate over the outcome of general elections in July, which they say, were fraudulent.

The demonstrators said that at least one other person had been injured at the time that the monk was said to have been killed.

Appeal to stop violence

A wounded monk is taken away

The opposition leader Sam Rainsy appealed for the government to stop using "barbaric" force against demonstrators. "I condemn all kinds of violence and the barbaric crackdown and will do anything to stop the bloodshed," he said.

Mr Rainsy said he was not behind the demonstrations. "I am in the UN office from where I can give no instructions," he said.

The opposition leader fled to the UN office in Phnom Penh, at the Cambodiana hotel, on Monday when he was accused of being linked to a grenade attack on Hun Sen's unoccupied residence.

Fresh demonstrations planned

But a government spokesman said: "If the opposition is willing to carry on the demonstrations, they will be held responsible before the law."

Prince Ranariddh: "The people of Cambodia don't want to hear any more about armies and violence"

The opposition has applied for legal permission to hold a peaceful demonstration on Sunday.

"It is in the interests of this government to authorise a peaceful demonstration, rather than letting what is happening now to continue," Prince Ranariddh said.

Afraid to return home

On Tuesday riot police broke up a vigil by hundreds of opposition supporters who had been camped outside the parliament for more than two weeks, in what they called 'Democracy Square'.

Riot police had again dispersed the demonstations on Tuesday

About 120 people have sought protection in the U.S. Embassy. They said they could not return to their homes, since their village headmen, who are allied to Hun Sen, had warned them not to join the protest.

One woman said: "If I die, I'd rather die by the embassy. I have no other place to go."

Worst violence since coup

The violence in the capital is the worst since Hun Sen deposed his co-prime minister Prince Ranariddh in a bloody coup a year ago.

Hun Sen won the 26 July elections parliamentary elections, but his victory is disputed by the opposition.

He won a narrow majority but fell short of the majority needed to form a government.

The opposition is threatening to boycott the assembly, which is scheduled to meet on 24 September.