Kathmandu, Oct 22: Maoist rebels ambushed an army patrol today killing at least two soldiers and injuring several others, a defense official said.
The soldiers were attacked near the village of Kurapani, about 400 kms west of the capital, Katmandu.
Defense ministry spokesman Bhakti Prasad Upreti said a few soldiers were injured but refused to give any more details.

The rebels have been fighting since 1996 to abolish the constitutional monarchy and create a communist state. They unleashed more violence after the government lifted a state of emergency in August.
The emergency was imposed last November after the rebels abruptly ended peace talks with the government. Under the emergency decree, freedoms of speech, press and assembly were severely restricted and people could be detained indefinitely on suspicion of supporting the rebels.
More than 5,000 people have been killed in the insurgency since 1996 -- more than half in the past year since the military joined police in fighting the rebels.

Bureau Report