Nepal skirmishes leave 34 dead

Communist rebels ambushed two separate army patrols in western Nepal today, sparking gun battles that left at least 34 people dead, including five civilian.

The guerrillas attacked a patrol about 190 miles west of the capital, Kathmandu, killing two soldiers.

Military helicopters from a nearby base were flown in to help the troops, the Royal Nepalese Army said.

Soldiers found the bodies of 22 guerrillas, and officials said there could be more rebel casualties because villagers saw the insurgents carry away wounded fighters.

Meanwhile, five soldiers were killed overnight when rebels ambushed them as they stopped for dinner at a restaurant near Chisapani, about 375 miles west of Kathmandu, the army said.

At least five civilians, including a 13-year-old boy, were also killed in the crossfire.

Rebels shut down parts of two key highways leading in and out of Kathmandu today, cutting traffic to a trickle, disrupting food supplies and stranding thousands of passengers.

The rebels, who say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been fighting since 1996 to replace the Himalayan kingdom’s monarchy with a communist state, and have launched bolder attacks in recent months.

More than 10,500 people have died since the fighting began.