Mutinous soldiers in the south-eastern town of Diffa are tightening their defences ahead of the expected arrival of government troops.

The BBC's Idy Baraou in the capital, Niamey, says the rebels turned away a military plane which attempted to land in Diffa on Friday morning.

We are ready to die and we have the means to defend ourselves

Rebel spokesman

More than 500 government troops with heavy artillery left Niamey for Diffa on Thursday to end the mutiny.

Because Diffa airport is in rebel hands, they travelled by road and should reach Diffa - some 1,400km away - on Friday afternoon.

The soldiers mutinied on Wednesday, making three main demands:

• Five months' back-pay
• The dismissal of the chief of staff
• A meeting with Prime Minister Hama Amadou

The mutineers have reimposed the curfew, which they had relaxed on Thursday and are erecting barricades at the entrance to the town, our correspondent says.

Diffa residents are afraid of being caught in the middle of a massive battle if neither side backs down.

More rebels

An unnamed rebel spokesman told the French news agency, AFP:

"We are ready to die and we have the means to defend ourselves."

Compounding security fears, ethnic Tuareg rebels have attacked the northern town of Agadez, killing two gendarmes, the government has said.

Niger soldiers have a history of mutinies and coups

Following the attempted landing of the military plane, the rebels promptly re-arrested the regional governor, Karadji Ayarga, hours after releasing him.

Meanwhile, military sources said several army officers had been detained in the capital on Thursday, according to Reuters news agency.

The government has ruled out any negotiations with the mutineers and has warned they will be "crushed".

Isolated

Our correspondent says that they have looted civilian property in the town.

Trouble spread from Diffa, on the border with Nigeria, to another barracks 120 km (75 miles) away at Nguigmi.

They also took over a local radio station and broadcast their demands for improved pay and conditions of service - a frequent complaint in the Niger army.

This is the first mutiny since Tandja's election

Diffa is a strategic garrison town and was the base from which the government ended a rebellion by ethnic Toubous in 2000.

Our correspondent says that soldiers posted to the desert region often feel isolated and ignored by the authorities in the capital.

It is the first mutiny in Niger since the election of President Mamadou Tandja, who comes from Diffa.

The landlocked former French colony - one of the poorest countries in the world - saw a spate of army mutinies in the late 1990s.