It is the fiercest fighting since the guerillas ended a cease-fire earlier this month. The insurgency began in 1996 and claimed about 12,000 lives.
Katmandu (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Nepal's army killed at least 10 communist rebels during a gunbattle in the fiercest fighting since the guerillas ended a cease-fire earlier this month, a defence ministry spokesman said on Friday.
The rebels were killed in the clash on Thursday at Chitre area, about 200 kilometres west of the capital, Katmandu, Defence Ministry spokesman Bhupendra Poudel said.
A large number of arms and ammunition were recovered after the gunfight, Mr Poudel said.
Comment from the rebels wasn't immediately available, and it wasn't possible to independently confirm the army's version of events.
A series of bold attacks have been launched in western Nepal since the rebels announced the end of an unilateral, four-month cease-fire on January 2. Several policemen have been killed and wounded.
The guerillas, who say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary Mao Zedong, began fighting in 1996 to create a socialist state. The insurgency has claimed about 12,000 lives.