At least 50 Maoists and nine security personnel were killed in a major clash between the two sides in southeastern Nepal, a state-run daily reported today.
"At least 50 Maoists and nine security persons were killed in a clash at Taple area of Udayapur district Monday afternoon," the Nepali language Gorkhapatra daily reported, quoting the Royal Nepal Army Eastern Unit in Itahari, far southeast of here.
State-run radio Nepal yesterday said that "eight bodies of rebels were found scattered at the clash site, while over 40 bodies were recovered from the Gobari area adjoining the site."
"In the land and aerial attacks launched by security forces in the area, over 100 terrorists had also been injured," the newspaper said.
"According to locals, the injured rebels were carried away by their colleagues," it said, adding that 17 security personnel were also injured.
Security forces clashed with the Maoists for several hours Monday afternoon, continuing late into the night, in one of the deadliest clashes reported since King Gyanendra seized power on Feb. 1.
A source close to the rebels said only six rebels had been killed in the clashes, including their eastern area commander.
The rebels have been fighting for a communist republic in Nepal since 1996 and the uprising has already claimed more than 11,000 lives.
RSS