The Hindu : International : Nepali army copters pound rebel positions

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 17, 2006

International

International

Nepali army copters pound rebel positions

KATHMANDU: Army helicopters bombed mountainous districts in southwest Nepal on Thursday in a massive campaign to flush out communist rebels, while a U.N. official said the country has slipped back into civil war.

In the latest offensive against Maoist insurgents, the Royal Nepalese Army also deployed hundreds of ground troops to Palpa and Nawalparasi districts, about 250 km southwest of Kathmandu, said security officials in the area reached by telephone.

Hundreds of rebels involved in recent attacks on Government and civilian targets were believed to be hiding there, said the officials, who asked not to be named for fear of jeopardising the mission. No further details were immediately available.

The area has been mired in violence since the guerillas ended their unilateral cease-fire last month.

On January 30, the rebels attacked the western town of Tansen, destroying government buildings and killing at least 20 security forces. A week later, 16 Government troops died when rebels attacked an army convoy in the area.

On Wednesday, the rebels ambushed an army patrol near the village of Bibeke, about 250 km west of Kathmandu, killing three soldiers.

``It is a tragedy for the people of Nepal that full-scale conflict has now resumed,'' said Ian Martin, the representative of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights in Kathmandu.

``Clashes occurred in highly populated areas, placing the civilian population in grave danger,'' Mr. Martin said.

He said there was a marked decline in violence during the four-month rebel cease-fire, although both the security forces and the guerillas committed other types of human rights violations. — AP

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