Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, November 12, 2002
10 Anti-govt Guerrillas Killed in Nepal
At least 10 anti-government guerrillas were killed Monday morning by government security forces in western Nepal, according to the Nepal National News Agency.
At least 10 anti-government guerrillas were killed Monday morning by government security forces in western Nepal, according to the Nepal National News Agency.
At least 10 anti-government guerrillas were gunned down on the spot during the gun battle when a group of about 100 guerrillas suddenly attacked the patrolling team of the government security forces at Khara jungle area of Gwalichaur in Baglung district in western Nepal, the state-run news agency quoted a local security official as saying.
"The number of guerrillas killed during the cross-firing could be very high," he said, adding that additional security forces have been mobilized in the district.
Meanwhile, two security personnel were injured in the ambush set up by the guerrillas, he added.
More than 4,000 guerrillas and hundreds of security personnel and civilians have been killed since the government imposed a state of emergency on Nov. 26 last year following a series of attacks by the guerrillas on the government security forces. The guerrillas broke four-month-long cease-fire talks with the government on Nov. 23 last year.
The Nepali government initiated peace talks with the guerrillasin August last year in order to find a peaceful solution to the nearly seven-year-long guerrillas insurgency. The insurgency has claimed over 7,000 lives, including policemen, guerrillas and civilians, since it began in the Himalayan kingdom in 1996.
However, the three rounds of talks held were inconclusive as the guerrillas demanded the establishment of a republican state, an interim government and a new constitution, which were rejected by the government.
The anti-government insurgents have stepped up their violent activities across the country since the nine-month-long nationwidestate of emergency expired at the end of August.