Belarus says opposition protests are developing into terrorist threat

FILE PHOTO: Belarusian opposition supporters hold a rally in Minsk

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Belarus's interior ministry said on Thursday that opposition protests were developing into a terrorist threat.

Belarus has seen more than two months of protests since an Aug. 9 presidential election, in which veteran leader Alexander Lukashenko claimed a landslide victory. His opponents say the election was rigged to hand him a sixth term in power.

The head of Russia's SVR foreign intelligence service made a surprise visit to Belarus on Thursday in what looked like a show of support by Moscow for Lukashenko, a close ally.

(Reporting by Tom Balmforth; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Kevin Liffey)