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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Nepal Necropsies Numerated |
| 2005-04-09 |
| EFL Nepali soldiers killed at least 50 Maoist rebels in a deadly overnight clash, the army said on Friday, as around 500 political activists were reported arrested by police during pro-democracy rallies in the kingdom. The Nepali army said its troops killed the rebels after the insurgents attacked their base overnight using rocket launchers and mortars in the west of the nation in one of the deadliest battle in the past two months. An army statement said that many more, possibly hundreds, of Maoists could have died in the fighting and soldiers had recovered 31 weapons, including AK-47 assault rifles. "On the basis of the situation at the site of the clash and on the version of local people, it is understood that hundreds of terrorists have died," it said. "Only 50 bodies have been recovered so far." "looks like another 320 hands, some rights, some lefts...we'll be taking a while to pair them up" These figures could not be independently verified and the Maoists have not commented on the latest fighting. The rebels frequently carry their casualties with them to keep moral up. Nine soldiers were wounded at the base in Khara in Rukum district, 550 km (340 miles) west of Kathmandu, three of them critically. The latest assault by the Maoists -- who want to overthrow the monarchy and establish a communist republic -- comes after an attack five weeks ago in which the army said its forces had killed at least 50 rebels in the western Bardiya district. Four soldiers also died in that clash. The new violence came as police in Kathmandu arrested about 50 political activists, including some former ministers, who were demonstrating against King Gyanendra's move on Feb. 1 to declare emergency, sack the multi-party government and seize power |
| Posted by:Frank G |