1,000 villagers trapped by fighting in eastern Myanmar

YANGON, Jan 17 (AP): Trucks were on standby Saturday to try to rescue more than 1,000 residents trapped in two villages in Myanmar's restive state of Kachin, where fierce fighting broke out between government troops and rebels, residents said.
The displaced, including children, sought refuge in Buddhist monasteries and Christian churches, said Gam Aung, a resident in Lone Khin, a town within earshot of the gunbattles in the northern state. "Everyone is terrified," said Tin Soe, an opposition member who lives in the area.
Heavily armed soldiers have so far blocked efforts to ferry them to safety, said Dawng Hka, a spokesman for the ethnic insurgents. There was no immediate comment from the government.
Myanmar, also known as Burma, was under dictatorship until 2011, and President Thein Sein's nominally civilian government has spearheaded the country's bumpy transition toward democratic rule.