Maoist rebels set off a dozen bombs west of Nepal's capital, hitting schools, government buildings and a power station, while fighting with government forces in the east killed 12 guerrillas, police said yesterday.
At least three civilians were hurt in the explosions on Monday, police said.
PHOTO: AP
The rebels lost 12 fighters in a shootout on Monday when they attacked an army patrol near Dakaha village east of Katmandu, a police officer said yesterday on customary condition of anonymity. Soldiers battled the rebels for more than three hours, seizing weapons and ammunition from them, he said.
The army, however, reported no casualties.
The rebels have responded to King Gyanendra's Feb.1 takeover of the country with a blockade of the nation's highways.
They have set off crude bombs, laid obstructions and forced the army to shift its focus to protecting commuters rather than fighting the rebels.
Separately, the rebels detonated several bombs before dawn on Monday in the town of Nepalgunj, about 500km west of Katmandu, hitting several government buildings, police officials in the area said yesterday. The officers declined to be named.
The targets included at least five schools in and around Nepalgunj, one of the country's major cities.
A crude bomb exploded at the entrance of a medical college, wounding three people, police said. In many schools, students walked in on Monday to find live bombs in their classrooms, police said.
The rebels also hit a power station, interrupting electricity in at least three districts in the area.
Gyanendra sacked the government, declared a state of emergency and suspended civil liberties on Feb. 1 in a move he said was aimed in part at fighting the Maoists.
The battle is increasingly being fought along Nepal's highways, where the rebels are trying to obstruct traffic and choke off the cities.
The Prithvi Highway, which is crucial to the capital, is the worst hit. One of the few main arteries in the nation, it connects Katmandu and cuts through the heart of the country, running south to India. Its closure means essential supplies, such fuel, cannot move in.
The Prithvi Highway blockade is also causing massive losses to businesses, mainly exporters who say they cannot move out their handicrafts and other exotic goods intended for Indian, US and European buyers.
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