4 Die in clash in Honduras

Tegucigalpa, Agency
Four people were killed and several others wounded Monday in a confrontation between peasants and private security guards in the Caribbean province of Colon, Honduras Security Minister Oscar Alvarez said.

The clash took place on the Tumbador property in the Bajo Aguan region, he told reporters in Tegucigalpa.

He provided no information on the identity of the casualties.

Unconfirmed press accounts said the incident occurred on a plantation owned by Miguel Facusse, who is currently in negotiations on selling some of his holdings to the government for distribution among peasants in the area.

A score of people, most of them farm laborers, have died in Bajo Aguan since November 2009 in sporadic clashes between landless peasants and security guards working for landowners.

Alvarez denied reports that police were involved in Monday's violence.