Kathmandu, Oct 13: At least 16 policemen and seven Maoist rebels died in the second major clash in as many days at a police post in southwestern Nepal, a police official said today. A group of rebels surrounded a training camp of Nepal's armed police force at around 10:15 pm (2200 IST) yesterday, setting off a seven-hour gunbattle at Bhaluwang in Dang district, 390 kilometers southwest of Kathmandu, the official said.

"Reinforcements along with helicopters equipped with night-vision came in time and helped to disperse the rebels," the official said. "At least 12 personnel of the armed police force, four regular police and seven rebels were killed," he said. "Police arrested 35 rebels from the clash site."

The toll from the remote area was impossible to verify independently.

The police official said the rebels who attacked the training camp had survived fierce fighting in the nearby Banke district where the Maoists attacked a police post Saturday. Police said at least 65 Maoists and four policemen died in Saturday's fighting in the deadliest battle since the Maoists ended a seven-month ceasefire on August 27.

The violence comes after the end of an eight-day truce called by the Maoists to mark the Hindu kingdom's most important holiday, Dasain.

Bureau Report