Nine people have been killed amid a crackdown on anti-government protesters in Burma's main city of Rangoon, state television has reported, as cited by BBC.

The dead included eight protesters and a Japanese man identified by Japan's APF News as a video journalist.

Eleven demonstrators and 31 soldiers were injured, state media said.

The clashes came on the 10th day of protests against Burma's military rulers led by the country's Buddhist monks. Hundreds have been arrested.

Security forces on Thursday had to fire warning shots as protesters tried to take their weapons, the state television report said.

Witnesses said it was unclear whether bullets were fired into the crowd or above heads.

The fresh protests follow reports of overnight raids on six monasteries.

According to witnesses, soldiers smashed windows and doors and beat the sleeping monks. Some escaped but hundreds of monks were taken away in military trucks.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!