/ 6 May 2002

550 Maoists killed in Nepal

MORE than 550 Maoist rebels have been killed in a huge offensive by the

police and army in Nepal over the past three days, a home ministry official

said on Sunday.

The deaths came as the security forces targetted a camp in western Nepal

where around 800 guerrillas were gathered for training.

”The Maoists’ casualty should be between 550 to 600 in surface and air

attacks at a training camp where the terrorists had gathered for training

and preparation strategy,” said the official, who did not want to be named.

The new figure — up from at least 350 given on Saturday — makes the

operation the most successful by far by the security forces against the

Maoists’ six-year insurgency to topple the constitutional monarchy. –

Sapa-AFP