56 houses damaged during fighting in Yunnan

Fifty-six houses were damaged during a conflict between railway workers and villagers in Yunnan province, authorities said on Thursday.

The clothes of several residents of Funing county's Yancun village were spotted on Feb 12 when two workers of China Railway Tunnel Group rode a motorcycle passing alongside them. The residents asked for 600 yuan ($96) in compensation and beat the workers, Chen Yujiang, deputy head of the county's publicity department, told China News Service.

The next day, more than 100 workers from the group who are constructing a rail line in the county came to the village, wrecking 56 houses, he said.

The county government has intervened in this incident, and the two sides are negotiating about compensation, Chen said.