Kathmandu, Jan 09: Nepal has received the first consignment of 500 Minimis automatic rifles purchased from Belgium by its army to deal with Maoist guerillas who have been indulging in acts of violence in the kingdom for the last one year. The consignment arrived here yesterday from Belgium as part of the Euro 25 million deal signed by the deposed premier Sher Bahadur Deuba six months ago.

The Belgium's FN Herstal Company is to deliver 5,500 Minimis machine guns to the Royal Nepal Army, media reports said.
India had granted permission for the aircraft bringing the consignment to overfly its airspace enroute to Kathmandu.
Earlier, on Sunday 3,000 M16 A2 rifles donated by the US government arrived in Kathmandu as part of the US government's support to Nepal's anti-terror campaign. Bureau Report