Government troops in Myanmar have occupied a Catholic church in the town of Moebye, driving out the clerics and religious who were in the church when they arrived.

When they took over the Holy Mother of God church on July 18, the soldiers initially took the priests into custody. They released them the next day, however.

Government troops have been charged repeatedly with targeting Christian churches in areas where resistance against the military regime is strong. Civilians seek shelter in the churches; military officials claim that they are organizing resistance.