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Maoists free abducted officials

KATHMANDU: Communist rebels on Sunday freed seven government officials they had seized in eastern Nepal, and all were safe and in good health, an official said. The freed officials telephoned from the town of Birtamod, about 550 km east of the capital, Kathmandu to report they had been safely released, said Vijaya Poudel, the administrative chief of Illam District, where the officials were seized on Saturday. The officials were not harmed while being held by the rebels, Mr. Poudel said. Other details were not immediately available. The rebels did not give a reason for the release. Soldiers had been searching forests and villages along a mountain highway for the officials. The rebels stopped the officials on Saturday as they were travelling in a van on the Mechi highway near Kolbung village, about 30 km north of Birtamod. The rebels forced the van's 10 occupants to leave the vehicle, checked their identification cards and took seven away. Two officials and the wife of one were not held. The officials had apparently defied a rebel order to stay off the road. The guerillas have also shut down several tea factories in the area, but have not said why.

AP

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