35 rebels killed in Nepal fighting

At least three policemen and 35 Maoist rebels were killed in an overnight battle as rebel attacks resumed on Nepal government forces after a nine-day ceasefire, police said today.

The rebels attacked an armed police force base camp at Kusum village, about 310 miles west of the capital, Katmandu, on Friday night, and the battle continued until this morning, police said. At least nine policemen were also injured.

Police officials said they had recovered 35 rebel bodies and expected to find more while searching the jungles around the battle site.

The officials said police reinforcements had been sent to the area, and that soldiers had now taken control of it.

Road blocks have been set up, and authorities were preparing to impose a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the area.

A nine-day ceasefire by the rebels during the Hindu Dasain festival, the biggest festival in this Himalayan kingdom, ended on Friday. About 80 percent of Nepal’s population are Hindus.

Nearly 400 people have died since the rebels pulled out of peace talks and a seven-month ceasefire in August.

The rebels, who say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been fighting since 1996 to abolish Nepal’s constitutional monarchy and set up a communist state. The government has labelled them terrorists.

More than 7,400 people have been killed since the troubles began.