48 policemen feared killed by Maoist rebels

At least 48 policemen are thought to have been killed when suspected Maoist rebels attacked a district headquarters and a nearby airport in northwestern Nepal, police said today.

In the worst assault since they abandoned peace talks last year, the rebels attacked police last night at Magalsen, the headquarters of Achham district.

At least 26 officers were feared killed in the attack at the district headquarters, about 375 miles northwest of the capital, Katmandu.

The rebels then targeted a small airport in the nearby town of Sanphebaga and killed 22 policemen, said a local police official.

There was no immediate official confirmation of the death toll.

A gun battle between government forces and the suspected rebels lasted until early today.

Police reinforcements were today being rushed to Magalsen, but were delayed by bad weather and the mountainous terrain.

Those killed included the top district administrator of Achham, police said.

The rebels, led by commander Prachanda - whose real name is Pushpa Kamal Dahal - have been fighting in remote mountainous areas since 1996 to abolish Nepal’s constitutional monarchy and create a communist republic.

More than 2,400 people have died so far.

The rebels have called a general strike on February 22-23 across Nepal to commemorate the sixth anniversary of their insurgency campaign.

Last week, rebels set off two bombs in government tax offices in Katmandu, wounding at least 10 people.

The government declared an emergency on November 26 and ordered the army to join the fight against the rebels after they ended a four-month ceasefire and resumed attacks on government targets.

The army says it has since killed nearly 500 guerrillas and arrested another 1,400.

Officials say nearly 200 government soldiers and policemen also have lost their lives.

Last week, the US State Department issued an advisory to warn Americans about the rebel attacks in Nepal, including areas visited by Western tourists.

The guerrillas recently attacked Lukla, the main entry point for the Mount Everest trek, and other popular tourist destinations in the Solu Khumbu Valley, the advisory said.