Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, September 09, 2002
Over 70 Anti-govt Guerrillas Killed in Nepal
At least 70 anti-government guerrillas were killed when they attacked a police post in eastern Nepal Saturday night, Minister of State for Home Devendra Raj Kandel said Sunday afternoon.
At least 70 anti-government guerrillas were killed when they attacked a police post in eastern Nepal Saturday night, Minister of State for Home Devendra Raj Kandel said Sunday afternoon.
"More than 70 anti-government guerrillas are believed to be killed in the fighting which lasted for over four hours since midnight Saturday in Bhiman of Sindhuli district in eastern Nepal," Kandel said after inspecting the site of the battle with army and police chiefs.
The bodies of two anti-government guerrillas were found at the site, but the rest of the bodies had been taken away by the guerrillas before the government security forces arrived there andinitiated a massive cordon operation, he noted.
Around 1,000 anti-government guerrillas had attacked the policepost where 73 policemen stationed, he said, adding that at least 48 policemen were killed, two are still missing and 23 others wereinjured in the battle.
This was the first deadly attack launched by the anti-government guerrillas since the nine-month-long nationwide state of emergency in Nepal expired 10 days ago and also the biggest attack by the guerrillas in the last five months.
At least 54 people including 48 government security personnel and six civilians were killed on April 12 when a group of anti-government guerrillas suddenly attacked two police posts in western Nepal.