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Nepal extends curfews amid violence after Maoists end truce
Kathmandu, Aug 31: Nepal`s government extended curfews and deployed armed guards for political leaders as Maoist rebels and soldiers fought two deadly clashes after the peace process collapsed, officials said today.
Kathmandu, Aug 31: Nepal's government extended curfews and deployed armed guards for political leaders as Maoist rebels and soldiers fought two deadly clashes after the peace process collapsed, officials said today.
Rebels ambushed an army patrol today at Melarani village in Surkhet district, 480 kilometres southwest of Kathmandu, triggering a daylong gunbattle, an army official said.
"Our preliminary reports are that seven Maoists and three soldiers were killed," the official said.
He said that a similar clash yesterday in the southeastern Udaipur district left two Maoists dead and three soldiers wounded.
Fourteen of Nepal's 75 districts are now under dawn-to-dusk curfew after nine more districts were added yesterday, amid fears the isolated Maoist attacks could give way to nationwide fighting.
"The number of districts coming under curfew is increasing every day and a curfew could even be imposed in the Kathmandu valley if the Maoists resume their subversive activities," home ministry spokesman Gopendra Bahadur Pandey said.
The Maoists on Wednesday walked out of a seven-month ceasefire and peace talks after the government refused to agree to an assembly to redraft the Constitution.
Since their withdrawal from the truce, the rebels have been blamed for a series of assassination bids against prominent political figures, both from the current government and previous ones.
Bureau Report
"Our preliminary reports are that seven Maoists and three soldiers were killed," the official said.
He said that a similar clash yesterday in the southeastern Udaipur district left two Maoists dead and three soldiers wounded.
Fourteen of Nepal's 75 districts are now under dawn-to-dusk curfew after nine more districts were added yesterday, amid fears the isolated Maoist attacks could give way to nationwide fighting.
"The number of districts coming under curfew is increasing every day and a curfew could even be imposed in the Kathmandu valley if the Maoists resume their subversive activities," home ministry spokesman Gopendra Bahadur Pandey said.
The Maoists on Wednesday walked out of a seven-month ceasefire and peace talks after the government refused to agree to an assembly to redraft the Constitution.
Since their withdrawal from the truce, the rebels have been blamed for a series of assassination bids against prominent political figures, both from the current government and previous ones.
Bureau Report