By nightfall parts of the kingdom appeared under mob rule, with checkpoints set up by armed vigilantes to guard their neighbourhoods.

The looting has mostly been stamped out by army checkpoints and armed vigilantes that seemingly guard every junction.

Locals say military units rarely venture out of their barracks, leaving groups of armed vigilantes and hunters - some riding into battle on bicycles - to bear the brunt of the fighting.

Armed vigilantes began to patrol in the city.

This time, however, he and his colleagues determined that extra-legal vigilante action was not called for.

In some areas the army organised civilian groups and local militias, in other areas communal vigilante action preceded the army.

The movement even resorted to vigilante action against suspected claim jumpers.

Partly as a result, vigilante action and mob justice sometimes occur.

However, the civic leaders, who had at first supported the vigilante action, became alarmed.