Land mine kills 21 in Nepal

A land mine planted by suspected Maoist rebels blew up two police trucks in western Nepal, killing at least 21 officers, police said today.

Sixteen police also were wounded in the explosion in Khairekhola, a village 310 miles west of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, a police official said.

The police were returning to their base after patrolling the area during a search for militants.

After the explosion “there was a brief encounter, but within minutes the militants ran away”, one of the injured policemen said as he was carried on a stretcher into the military hospital in the capital.

Maoists, who say they’re inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, want to replace Nepal’s monarchy with a communist state.

The insurgency has left more than 9,500 dead since it was launched in 1996. Fighting between the rebels and government soldiers has escalated since the insurgents withdrew from a ceasefire last year.