Poso (Sulawesi) – Clashes between Christian and Muslim gangs, armed with knives and homemade guns, left at least eight people dead, police and witnesses said yesterday.

Police Sergeant Pamrin said nearly 100 Christians attacked a Muslim district on the outskirts of Poso late on Saturday. Security forces opened fire on the attackers, he said. Six unidentified corpses were later brought to the town's hospital, witnesses said.

Soon afterwards, police shot and killed two members of the Muslim paramilitary group Laskar Jihad who had been travelling towards the trouble spot, said an officer. Just before dawn a bomb exploded outside a church in the town, witnesses said. There were no reports of major damage or injuries. In July, at least 28 people were killed in sectarian fighting in villages surrounding Poso, about 1,600 km north-east of Jakarta. In May last year, more than 400 people were killed in the region.