'Hundreds killed' in Nepal battle

Hundreds of rebels and at least 18 police and soldiers were killed in some of Nepal’s fiercest fighting since a ceasefire collapsed more than seven months ago, government officials said today.

It happened when rebels swarmed into Beni, a mountain town 175 miles west of the capital Katmandu, around midnight, and fought with security forces for nearly 12 hours before they were chased away by reinforcements.