Pakistan forces blow holes in mosque walls

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani security forces blew holes in the outer walls of a mosque on Thursday where hundreds of militant Muslim students have been holed up in a stand-off with authorities for three days, security officials said.

Smoke was rising from the compound housing the Red Mosque and a girls' madrasa in Islamabad following several explosions early Thursday evening. A fierce gunbattle was also heard.

Journalists at the scene saw some troops being moved, but no sign that an assault was imminent. The captured leader of the Taliban-style movement said earlier that there were around 850 students in the mosque, including 600 women. The government says some women and children were being used as human shields.