74 Maoists killed in Nepal

At least 74 Maoists and three security personnel were killed in a fierce gunbattle between the Nepalese army and the rebels in two districts of western Nepal, authorities said Tuesday.

Seventy rebels, including their brigade commander, were killed Monday night after security forces launched an intensified attacks using helicopters with night vision equipment on Maoist strongholds in Ganeshpur area of Bardia district, 600 km west of Kathmandu, security sources said.

Nepal, the next Tibet

The strike came after a group of 500-600 Maoists attacked the security forces which reached the area to remove barricades set up by the rebels on the highway.

Security forces recovered 70 bodies and rounded up dozens of Maoists injured in the incident, the army said. The death toll on the Maoists' side might be much higher as the rebels who escaped carried away many of their

dead colleagues, a spokesman said.

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In another incident, four Maoist rebels were killed at Sukhad Bazaar area of Kailali district last night, the army said.

The Maoists, armed with long range and automatic weapons had stormed the security base in the area, but the attempt was foiled by the alert forces. A policeman was killed and four Armed Police Force personnel were injured.

Two civilian women who were injured in the cross-fire were brought to Nepalgunj for treatment.

In another development, three wounded Maoist guerillas, including a commander were arrested by Indian security forces while they were on their way to India for treatment, according to Radio Nepal.

They were arrested at Jaynagar while fleeing to India from southern Nepal for medical treatment, the radio said quoting local security sources.

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