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Kathmandu Tuesday February 26, 2002 Falgun 14, 2058.
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Army claims 78 rebels killed
in encounters
Post Report
KATHMANDU, Feb 25: At least 78 Maoist rebels
were gunned down by the Royal Nepal Army in various encounters within the last three days
in remote parts of Kalikot, Surkhet and Tanahun districts, states a press release issued
by the Ministry of Defence today.
A large number of security forces have been
deployed in the Far-and Mid-Western hill districts of Achham, Dailekh, Surkhet, Jajarkot
and Kalikot in order to hunt down rebels after the latter attacked Mangalsen the district
headquarters of Achham and a nearby airport in Sanfebagar on February 17. The attack the
bloodiest ever in entire history of the six-year-old insurgency in the country had left
more than 140 soldiers and policemen dead.
The statement issued by the Ministry said that
67 rebels were killed in encounters between the RNA soldiers and the rebels at various
"blocking positions" in Kalikot district. According to the statement RNA
soldiers have blocked all the possible escape routes of the rebels in and around Achham.
However, the Defence Ministry release did not specifically mention the areas where the
rebels were gunned down.
The release said that the soldiers also seized a
large cache of arms and ammunition, socket bombs, detonators, explosives and communication
sets from the sites of the encounter.
Likewise security officials in Kathmandu today
said that two more rebels were killed in Lekgaun area of Surkhet district on Sunday.
Meanwhile, our correspondent from Tanahun
reported that four rebels, including three women, were shot dead in the Khairenitar area
of Tanahun on Monday. Among the killed was a Vice-Commander of the Maoist militia. Other
slain rebels have been identified as Nishchala, Bipana and Seema. The forces gunned down
the rebels in a jungle situated between Khairenitar and Manpang VDC today. The forces also
confiscated some arms and explosives from the area.
Our reporter from Sindhupalchowk said that
soldiers have been deployed in the privately built Bhote Kosi and Indrawati III hydropower
projects to provide security to the projects and its staff from any possible Maoist
attacks, district authorities said here Monday.
The Tipeni-based seven MW Indrawati III hydel
project is being developed by Nepali and Norwegian investors, while the Tatopani-based 36
MW Bhote Kosi project, which began its commercial production since last year, is funded by
American investors.
Earlier, security of the Indrawati III project
under construction was looked after by the police. It is learnt that most of the
foreigners working in the Bhote Kosi power plant returned to the capital for security
reasons after soldiers killed six rebels near Barhabise on Friday.
Meanwhile, a group of around 60 Maoists on
Saturday night destroyed three buildings of the Danda Pakhar-based police training centre.
But there were no policemen around when the rebels attacked the centre. All the policemen
had left the centre for the capital on Friday.
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