The Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) has claimed that at least 25 Maoists were killed and several others were injured in a fierce gun-battle between the security forces and the insurgents in Bhakunde area of the western district of Palpa on Tuesday.

Quoting sources at the RNA’s Western Divisional Headquarters in Pokhara, the state-owned Radio Nepal on Wednesday said the rebels were killed when the security forces launched retaliatory action against them.

There were no reports of casualties on the security side.

A large number of arms and ammunition and various Maoist documents were recovered from the incident site, the report added.