Ousted President Manuel Zelaya has left the US on a flight bound for Honduras, in a bid to reclaim his post.

Mr Zelaya, who was removed from office by troops a week ago, says he is determined to return to his country.

But the interim government says it will not allow Mr Zelaya’s plane to land. There are growing fears of violence in the Central American nation.

Thousands of Zelaya supporters are said to be heading to the airport, where security forces have taken position.

Mr Zelaya left Washington at 1900GMT. Flight time to the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa, is about four hours.

He is being accompanied on the plane by UN General Assembly President Miguel D’Escoto Brockmann and a number of journalists.

The presidents of Argentina, Ecuador and Paraguay and the head of the Organization of American States (OAS) left Washington at the same time as Mr Zelaya, bound for El Salvador to monitor events.

Interim President Roberto Micheletti, meanwhile, has said troops from neighbouring Nicaragua are moving towards the Honduran border. The Nicaraguan government has denied this.

‘Banned’

The military – backed by Congress and the courts – forced Mr Zelaya out of Honduras on 28 June over his plans to hold a vote on possible constitutional change.

Hours before Mr Zelaya’s departure from the Washington, Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Ortez said the ousted president would not be allowed back in, “come what may”.

“The landing of the plane which will bring the ex-president is banned,” he said.

The aviation agency under the interim government has said the aircraft has to be diverted to El Salvador, Reuters news agency reports.

And, says the BBC’s Stephen Gibbs, who is in Tegucigalpa, the government says any attempt to land would be a violation of international air regulations.

The removal of Mr Zelaya has been condemned by the international community.

On Saturday the OAS suspended Honduras – the first time the organisation had taken such a measure since Cuba was suspended in 1962, when it allied itself with the USSR.

As Mr Zelaya departed from Washington, the interim government said it had offered dialogue “in good faith” with the OAS.

Honduras itself appears divided between supporters of the ousted leader and those who back the authorities that removed him.

Both sides have protested in recent days, but the demonstrations have remained largely peaceful.

Mr Zelaya, a wealthy businessman, is a left-wing politician and supporter of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

His opponents, which includes the Supreme Court and a majority in parliament, accuse him of seeking to prolong his rule.

He had wanted to hold a popular vote on convening a constitutional convention – a move that could have removed the current one-term limit for presidents. – BBC