Troops kill Maoist rebels in Nepal

Royal Nepalese Army soldiers raided a Maoist rebel training camp in the remote hills of the Himalayan kingdom, killing at least 62 rebels today, a Defence Ministry spokesman said.

The army raided the camp at Gumchal in Rolpa district, about 250 miles west of Nepal’s capital Kathmandu, said Bhola Silwal, the ministry spokesman.

Rolpa is considered one of the rebels’ strongholds, and the army has been sweeping the area since a state of emergency was imposed in Nepal on November 26.

The army mobilised to fight the rebels after they broke off peace talks and began new attacks.

Previously, only the poorly armed police fought the rebels, who want to establish a communist state.

The guerrillas draw their inspiration from Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Tse-tung and call for an end to the constitutional monarchy in this Himalayan kingdom.

Over 2,800 people have been killed since rebels began their violent campaign in 1996.