Soldiers have been deployed to curb Maoist rebels operating in western Nepal for the first time since the insurgency began in 1996, according to reports on Wednesday. Fifty Royal Nepal Army (RNA) personnel have been deployed in the hills of Dailekh, in the far west of the country.
A smaller number of RNA soldiers have been stationed to guard telecommunications equipment and towers in Dailekh, a Nepali website said. This is the first time that such a large number of army personnel have been deployed to assist the local administration in Dailekh, it further said.
Army camps were established last year in the districts of Rolpa and Rukum, west of Kathmandu, which have seen Maoist insurgent activity. Earlier this year, more army posts were set up in other Maoist affected districts of Jajarkot, Kalikot and Salyan, all to the far west.
When former Nepal Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya assumed the defence portfolio last week, he said the RNA will cooperate with the government in maintaining security in the country. Acharya was appointed defence minister following the resignation of Govind Raj Joshi, who was accused of failing to maintain law and order in the country. Bureau Report