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An emergency meeting of the cabinet Sunday night decided to reinforce security after a brutal Maoist attack on Mangalsen overnight killing 102 persons, including 40 policemen and 48 soldiers, an announcement said. Security forces briefed the cabinet on the murderous attack. New instructions have been given to security forces, an announcement said. The cabinet praised the army and the police for their brave efforts to repulse the rebel attack and expressed condolences for the loss of lives of security personnel, government officials and a civilian. The meeting also asked the people to help boost the morale of the army and police to fight the Maoists. nepalnews.com br Feb.17 King, Queen attend golden jubilee function King Gyanendra and Queen Komal Sunday attended the golden jubilee celebration function of the Anandakuti Vidyapheeth at Syambhunath. The King unveiled a commemorative plaque at the school premises. The King also distributed commendation letters to long serving staff on the occasion. nepalnews.com br Feb.17 102 killed in Maoist attack on Mangalsen In the biggest Maoist attack on security forces in seven years, at least 102 persons were killed overnight, including 49 policemen and 48 soldiers, in Mangalsen, district headquarters of Acham, 600 kms northwest of the capital, Defence and Home Ministries said Sunday. Chief District officer Mohan Singh Khadka, National Investigation Department Director, Lok Raj Uprety and his wife, a post employee and a civilian also died in the murderous attack. At least 10 policemen and one solider were also injured; the injured policemen have been airlifted to the capital for medical treatment. Hundreds of rebels have died, a correspondent of state-owned Radio Nepal said after returning from Mangalsen. "All roads leading to Mangalsen are splattered with blood. All government buildings, except two, are burning. Maoists used rockets in their attacks," he said. "People have started coming out of their homes after army reinforcements arrived. They are helping to carry the bodies to waiting helicopters. The rebels fled after the army arrived," he said. Rebels started a fire before the attack, the Defence Ministry said. "This was a deceptive and dastardly attack on a small force by a big group. The security forces fought to the last," an announcement said. Rebels used sophisticated arms looted from an army barrack in Ghorai, Dang, on November 23 in the first Maoist attack on soldiers. The attack on the army in Acham was also the first after November 25 when rebels targeted the army in Salleri, district headquarters of Solokhumbu. Maoists decamped with SLRs, LMGs, three rocket launchers, six rockets, grenades and bullets from Dang increasing their firepower; army was trying to recover those weapons. The attacks come after reports said security had improved at district headquarters after the deployment of the army on November 26 to quell the communist rebellion; it comes as the parliament begins a debate Monday on whether to extend a three-month emergency for another three months. Reinforcements have started combing the area to hunt down the rebels who fled with weapons looted from district police headquarters, the Defence Ministry said. The Ministry is continuing to receive reports of the operation, another announcement said. In a related development, the cabinet is currently meeting in emergency session to review and discuss new actions, an official announcement said. Four policemen were killed and seven others were injured in a rebel attack on a police outpost in Sarlahi overnight while a rebel was also killed, the Home Ministry said. Maoists decamped with stolen weapons and money looted from a nearby bank. Maoists torched a bus traveling to the capital from Gaur Sunday after forcing passengers out of the vehicle, security sources said. Army also shot dead a rebel in Gorkha Sunday. Rebels overnight shot dead two civilians in Ramechap and Ilam, the Home Ministry said. Rebels have intensified their nation-wide attacks as parliament begins a debate on the extension of the emergency Monday. The fresh rebel attack is expected to help the government get opposition support to extend the emergency. nepalnews.com br Feb 17 Maoists attack Mangalsen, heavy casualties feared Heavy casualties are feared in massive overnight Maoist attacks on district headquarters of Mangalsen and a neighbouring airport at Saphebagar in Acham 600 kms northwest of the capital, police and a politician said. At least 48 policemen are feared dead in the biggest rebel attack since Maoists resumed hostilities November 23 last year after breaking off negotiations with the government to end a bloody insurgency that entered its seventh year this month, police said. The attacks began at around 11 PM and was continuing until 8 AM Sunday, Gobinda Bahadur Shah, member of parliament from the district said. Fire continued to rage as rebels set ablaze 10 government offices, including district police headquarters in Mangalsen and destroyed the airport, Shah said. The army barracks was also attacked, one report said. Reinforcements have been sent by helicopter after communications with district headquarters was cut off at 3 AM. Four policemen were killed and four others were injured overnight in a rebel attack on a police outpost in Lalbandi, Sarlahi, police said. Suspected Maoists Sunday morning torched a parked car of Chief Secretary Tirthaman Sakya in Lalitpur, eyewitnesses said. Army bomb disposal units Sunday morning deactivated banner bombs placed at a bridge in Lalitpur district near Godavari and at a locality in Bhaktapur, an official source said. Four rebels were killed and one was injured in three clashes with the army overnight in Jumla, Kailali and Rolpa, the Defence Ministry said Sunday. Three Maoists were killed in Jumla, one in Kailali while was injured in Rolpa, the Ministry said. Two rebels were arrested and guns, explosives and bombs were recovered from them, an official announcement said. The army Saturday recovered 12 concealed guns, some ornaments and some money from the village in Kailali, another official announcement said. Meanwhile, parliament will begin to discuss Monday a government proposal to extend the nation-wide national emergency to contain the insurgency for another three months. nepalnews.com br Feb.17 Government last week formed a 22 member National Information Technology Development Council (NITDC) headed by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to boost the development of information technology in the kingdom. Government has nominated IT experts
Prog. Jagannath Shrestha, Devi Dutta Poudel and Suresh Kumar Pudasaini as Council members.
Sanjib Raj Bhandari of Mercantile, Allen Tuladhar and Brijesh Shrestha have been nominated from the private sector involved in IT. Other Council members are the Minister of Science and Technology, government secretaries, Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission, President of CAN , President of the FNCCI and Chairman of the Nepal Communications Authority. Government has also formed a 14-member National Information Technology Co-ordination Committee (NITCC) under the chairmanship of the Minister for Science and Technology. A NPC member is its vice chairman and two vice-chancellors of universities are members. Muni Sakya and Suresh Raj Regmi have been appointed members as IT experts. Atma Ram Ghimere is ex-officio member secretary of the Committee. nepalnews.com br Feb.17 About 22 people including
the Chief District Officer and an intelligence official were killed in an
daring Maoist attack in Mangalsen, the headquarters of Accham District in western
Nepal, sources say. NEPSE index slips another 1.24 points The NEPSE index slipped another 1.24 points at the end of five-day trading Friday. Trading opened at 236.06 points Monday and closed at 234.82 points Friday. Commercial bank index fell by 0.77 points during the week. Commercial bank shares accounted for 67.50 of the total trade. Altogether 34,038 shares of 38 listed companies valued at Rs.10.57 million were sold through 1057 transactions. nepalnews.com br Feb.17 Road intersection improvement project launched A 1.3 billion Japanese yen project to improve 10 road intersections in one year with Japanese assistance was launched in the capital Saturday. Minister for Physical Planning Chiranjivi Wagle and Ambassador Zenji Kaminaga jointly laid the foundation of the project at the Maitighar intersection where houses were demolished ahead of the SAARC summit in December to beautify the city; an artistic mandala was constructed at the site. The project aims to ease traffic congestion, reduce accidents and bring down air pollution levels. nepalnews.com br Feb.17 King Gyanendra for the first time listened to the '"basanta sharawan" chanted by priests at the Hanumam Dhoka royal palace Sunday heralding the onset of spring. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and senior government officials also listened to the chant. Thousands of devotees also thronged Saraswati temples in the city to worship the goddess of learning Sunday also marking Shree Panchami. Parents initiated their children into the learning process by guiding them to scribble the alphabet on a slate. nepalnews.com br Feb.17 Police shot dead another Maoist overnight in an encounter in Siraha, the Home Ministry said. He was a district level rebel leader, the Ministry said. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba Saturday sought the support of all national parties to extend the three-month national emergency declared by King Gyanendra on November 26 for another three months at an all party meet. PM Deuba will table a motion in parliament seeking such support Monday. The motion will need the support of the main opposition UML to get the emergency approved by the required two thirds majority of the 205 member House of Representatives; the emergency will not be extended if the UML votes against the motion. But it can be approved by a two thirds vote of parliament members present and voting if the ruling Nepali Congress and one opposition party vote in favour of the motion if the UML boycotts parliament on voting day. The ruling Nepali Congress Party has 113 members in the House of Representatives and the required vote for approval if the UML boycotts the vote is 110. The UML position on the vote is not clear as it holds its cards close to the chest. nepalnews.com br Feb.16 Khimu Giri wins first Pokhara marathon Khimu Giri, 29, of the Tribhuvan Club Saturday won the first Pokhara Marathon 2058 by completing the race in 2 hours and 26.46 minutes. Rebat B. Dahal completed the run in 2 hours and 29.11 minutes while Yam B. Pudasaini came third. Five army runners topped the race; altogether 1505 athletes participated in the competition to promote the Annapurna Cross Country Marathon scheduled for Sept/Oct. this year to attract foreign racers to the area famed trekking destination where the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Himalayan peaks lie. The Nepal Tourism Board sponsored the annual marathon while Nepal Athletics Association and Ex-sportsmen Forum were the co-sponsors. nepalnews.com br Feb.16 Three Maoists were killed in three separate clashes with the army overnight while 10 rebels were arrested, the Defence Ministry said Saturday. Arjun Shahi was shot dead at a jungle in Dandeldhura and guns and bombs were recovered from him at Aital, official sources said. Two rebels died in shoot-outs in Kanchanpur and Gulmi, the Defence Ministry said. Nine rebels were arrested Friday from Ganeshpur in Dang where one day earlier four rebels were killed in a shoot-out with security forces, another official announcement said. The army recovered guns, pistons, 32 socket bombs, two basket bombs, explosives and 11 meters of fire wire from them. The army overnight recovered guns, bullets, two sacks of medicine, equipment to make bombs from Rim in Dolpa where a day earlier five Maoists were killed in a shoot-out with security forces. The army recovered 12 concealed guns from Tulsipur in Dang, an official said. Thirty-seven suspects were arrested for questioning nation-wide Friday, including 10 from a hotel in Siraha, officials said. Bomb disposal unit of the army deactivated a banner bomb Friday set to blow up a suspension bridge at Kuringhat between Gorkha and Dhading, the Defence Ministry said. nepalnews.com br Feb.16 Telecom services in nine districts disrupted Telecommunications services in nine of the nation's 75 administrative districts have been disrupted after Maoists blew up repeater stations there. The Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC) has incurred a Rs.150 million loss from the attacks. Mostly recently, the rebels have attacked repeater stations after withdrawal of the army whom were paid by the NTC to protect the vital installations. The government is mulling alternative ways to protect the repeater stations. Communications Minister Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta revealed the figures while inaugurating a 30-watt Nepal Television (NTV) transmitter at Jumla bazzar Friday. People living around 100 square kilometers of the bazzar can now view NTV transmissions. The transmitter is a gift of China. nepalnews.com br Feb.16 Nepal finally has an envoy in Washington Nepal finally has a resident ambassador in Washington after more than one year. Jaya Pratap Rana presented his credentials to President George W. Bush Thursday, the Foreign Ministry said. The post was vacant after the summary recall of Damodar Gautam by then Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. nepalnews.com br Feb.16 Eleven Maoists killed, other details Eleven Maoists were killed in separate encounters with the army in three districts in west and far west Nepal overnight, the Defence Ministry said Friday. Five senior rebel military commanders were killed in an encounter in Dolpa while one was injured and two others were arrested as security forces recovered large caches of arms, ammunition and explosives, an official announcement said. Four others were killed in clashes in Dang and two in Jumla where a so-called district government committee chief also died, the Defence Ministry said. Rebels Thursday killed a civilian and injured another at a village in Kanchanpur, the Home Ministry said. Army, during a search in Kaski, recovered four kilos of gold ornaments looted by rebels from individuals and banks in the second such retrieval; four kilos of gold ornaments were earlier recovered from a house of a rebel commander in Pokhara. The Narayannagar sub-municipality office in Dailekh was slightly damaged in a rebel bomb attack overnight, the Home Ministry said. The army continued to recover arms, ammunition, bombs and explosives in nation-wide searches as more rebels surrendered to local authorities, the Defence and Home Ministries said. nepalnews.com br Feb.15 |
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