Suva - An exchange of gunfire took place at Fiji's parliament last night, where the government has been held hostage, Fiji military forces have confirmed.
According to state-owned Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, a group of coup-leader Mr George Speight's supporters left parliament to raid empty houses. An army patrol met them as they were leaving one home and the group ran back to the parliament. Snipers with Mr Speight's group inside the parliament gave the looters covering fire as they made it back into the complex. There were no reports of injuries.
Meanwhile, Fiji's military rulers toughened their stand against Mr George Speight yesterday, saying they would not give ground in their demand for the release of 30 hostages held since May 19th. "I am not budging on the crisis. We are no longer listening to their demands," the military ruler, Commodore Frank Bainimarama said.
However, most of the rebel soldiers offered amnesty for their role in the coup have elected to stick with Mr Speight, who is holding deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry hostage.
Commodore Bainimarama yesterday gave the half-dozen or so soldiers an ultimatum - drop their weapons and return to barracks or lose their commissions. But by the 3 p.m. deadline only three soldiers had left the parliamentary compound.
Fiji was yesterday suspended from councils of the Commonwealth.