- Snow seen on Mount Fuji after record time without
- Ohtani has surgery on injured shoulder - Dodgers
- Pop-up concerts try to soothe anxious voters as US goes to polls
- Sporting's rout of Man City doesn't guarantee success with Man Utd: Amorim
- Top Mexican court nixes bid to invalidate election of judges
- FBI warns of hoax bomb threats from Russia at US voting sites
- Liverpool the 'complete' team, says Alonso after Leverkusen humbled
- Diaz hits hat-trick as Liverpool spoil Alonso's return to Anfield
- Sporting stun Man City in Champions League as Liverpool, Milan claim fine wins
- 'Like a little boy': Uruguay's Forlan on his tennis pro debut
- Man City in a 'dark place' but Guardiola vows to solve the crisis
- Substitute Malen's late strike lifts Dortmund past Sturm Graz
- Lille deny Juventus in Champions League stalemate
- NBA suspends Embiid three games for shoving journalist
- Thousands in Tel Aviv protest Israel defence minister's sacking
- Kehrer snatches late Champions League win for Monaco at Bologna
- Celtic inflict more Champions League pain on Leipzig
- AC Milan topple Champions League holders Real Madrid
- Ruthless Liverpool spoil Alonso's return to Anfield
- Amorim's Sporting crush Man City as Gyokeres hits hat-trick
- German's family doesn't 'trust anything' said by Iran on his death: daughter
- Thousands protest in Serbian city over fatal roof collapse
- Harris or Trump? Millions vote in tense, tight US election
- What we know about the soldiers 'held hostage' by Bolivia demonstrators
- Israel's Netanyahu fires defence minister over 'trust' breakdown
- Ronaldo strikes as Al Nassr thump Al Ain in AFC Champions League
- Emery challenges Villa to seize Champions League chance
- Spain unveils $11 bn aid plan after catastrophic floods
- Gauff beats Swiatek at WTA Finals as Sabalenka earns year-end No.1
- Concern grows for Iran woman detained over underwear protest
- Cowboys' Prescott 'likely' to land on injured reserve - Jones
- Amid injury concerns Davis says Lakers must be better
- US writes off over $1 billion of Somalia debt
- Gauff beats Swiatek to reach last four of WTA Finals
- French court jails 18 members of Channel people smuggling gang
- Scotland's Graham ruled out of South Africa showdown
- Flamengo striker Bruno Henrique probed in Brazil betting scandal
- Stock markets climb, dollar dips as US votes
- Boeing union approves contract, ending over 7-week strike
- Gazans want new US president to end the war
- Bayern feel 'drama' after poor Champions League start, says Kompany
- England name unchanged team for Australia clash
- Davis Cup aiming for 'special' Nadal retirement celebration
- Inzaghi hints at Inter Milan turnover for Arsenal clash
- Stock markets rise, dollar falls as US votes
- Germany arrests eight members of far-right paramilitary group
- French women 'stunned' as partners accused in mass rape trial
- US September trade deficit widest in over two years
- Krejcikova ends Pegula's last-four hopes at WTA Finals
- Reform row puts Mexico at risk of 'constitutional crisis'
What we know about the soldiers 'held hostage' by Bolivia demonstrators
The Bolivian government said at the weekend that 200 soldiers were being "held hostage" by supporters of ex-president Evo Morales, who have been blockading roads for over three weeks to try to prevent his arrest on charges of statutory rape.
Here is what we know about the situation at the three barracks in the central Chapare region targeted by supporters of Bolivia's 2006-2019 president, who is eying a comeback in elections next year despite being barred from seeking re-election.
- What happened? -
On Friday, the Bolivian military said "irregular armed groups" had taken over a military barracks in Chapare, Morales's political stronghold in the central Cochabamba department.
It said they had "kidnapped military personnel", without saying how many, and had also seized weapons and ammunition.
In a video shared on Bolivian media, 16 soldiers were seen surrounded by protesters holding pointed sticks aloft.
"The Cacique Maraza Regiment has been taken over by Tipnis activists," a uniformed man is heard saying in the video, referring to supporters of Bolivia's first Indigenous leader.
"They have cut off our water, electricity and are keeping us hostage," the voice added.
The following day the foreign ministry said three barracks in Chapare had been "assaulted by irregular groups" who had "taken more than 200 military personnel hostage".
On Monday, Deputy Minister of Coordination with Social Movements Juan Villca told AFP that the three facilities were "still held" by protestors.
- Are the soldiers really hostages? -
Vicente Choque, leader of the Indigenous federations of Chapare, denied that the soldiers were hostages.
"There's not a single hostage, this talk of hostages is the government exaggerating or lying," he told AFP.
He acknowledged however that 2,000 to 3,000 people were maintaining "a vigil" outside the barracks of the 9th Infantry Division -- one of the three sites targeted -- to prevent other soldiers entering.
He said the protesters came to the barracks to complain about the presence of vehicles inside, which they said had been used in the "attempted assassination" of Morales on October 27.
The 65-year-old ex-leader accused state agents of trying to kill him while driving in Chapare, sharing a video online showing himself travelling in a pick-up truck riddled with bullet holes.
The government said the police fired on his vehicle after coming under fire from his convoy.
Choque said the soldiers at the barracks could "leave no problem" if they "coordinated" with the protesters.
Lawyer and retired army officer Omar Duran said however that the troops "are being held hostage and are not allowed leave".
An AFP video showed men, women and children sitting under trees in the shade outside the barracks, occupied with various chores.
Inside, soldiers could be seen standing guard but are unarmed.
Choque said the situation was the same at the other two barracks.
- How could it happen? -
Duran said he believed the military in Chapare was caught off guard due to a lack of intelligence gathering.
He blamed what he called a lack of state support for the military.
"The armed forces have been abandoned. They do not have riot gear. The few weapons they have are weapons of war," he said.
He added that the army was hesitant to use force against the protesters for fear of being disavowed by the government of President Luis Arce, a longtime Morales ally who has since fallen out with him.
"The officers believe that the moment they fire a shot the government will abandon them," Duran said.
Villca vowed there would be an "extensive investigation" into how the protesters were allowed enter the military facilities.
M.Furrer--BTB