At least five armed Maoists were shot dead by security forces in two western districts of Nepal, the defence ministry said Sunday in a bloody weekend in which at least 42 have died.
"Three Maoist insurgents, including an area committee member, were shot dead by the security forces after the two sides clashed at Dhakeri in Banke district on Saturday," a ministry announcement said.
One more rebel was shot dead in the same area while another was killed by security personnel in Kalikot district, in far western Nepal.
The soldiers recovered a large quantity of explosives and other materials.
The ministry said on Saturday at least 37 Maoists had been killed in clashes with security forces since late Friday.
The violence was the latest in a week of attacks by Maoists and retaliations by the police and army, which have left nearly 300 people dead.
More than 150 people, mostly soldiers and police, died in rebel attacks on the weekend of February 16 and 17.
Bureau Report