Nepalese security forces battling leftist insurgents killed 26 Maoists and one suspected Maoist, most of them in west Nepal, during the last two day, a newspaper report said on Sunday.
The Kathmandu Post, quoting the Nepalese defence ministry and district officials, said 15 Maoists were killed at Mahadevpuri village in the Banke district. Among those killed was a local level Maoist commander, the newspaper reported quoting Bal Krishna Parsai, the Chief Officer of Banke.
Security forces killed four Maoists in Rolpa district and four more in the Morang district on Friday, the newspaper said. Twenty security personnel were injured when their vehicle was caught in a Maoist ambush in Nuwakot district on Saturday.
In a counter offensive by the security personnel, two Maoists were shot dead, the newspaper said. The Maoists began their violent campaign to set up a communist republic in Nepal just over six years ago during which almost 3,000 people have been killed.
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba came to power in July last year and immediately initiated moves for talks with the Maoists to end the insurgency. During the four month truce, three rounds of talks were held but in November last year, the Maoists unilaterally walked away from talks and broke the truce by launching a massive attack against army and police posts.
The government responded by imposing a state of emergency across the country and deploying the army against the insurgents.
It is estimated that more than 1,100 people have been killed in three and half months of fighting.
Bureau Report