Fresh skirmishes between security forces and Maoists Wednesday killed at least two rebels in Bhojpur and three Maoists accidentally killed themselves in Pokhara, radio reports said.

The two rebels have been identified as Baliraj Rai and Dil Bahadur Kami from the same district. The clashes began when the Maoists attacked a patrolling team of police personnel, the reports said.

In Pokhara Wednesday, three Maoists killed themselves when they tried to blast pressure cooker bombs at the Provident Fund Office, according to Radio Nepal.

In Itahara VDC of Morang Wednesday, a civilian Haridev was shot dead by the suspected Maoists.

In Pyuthan, Maoists abducted 18 cadres of a communist party, CPN (Ekata Kendra). The whereabouts of the 18 has not been known.