Within hours after the Maoists announced to extend their three-month long ceasefire by one more month on Friday, at least four persons including a security man were killed in two separate violent incidents in Sankhuwasabha and Sindhupalchowk districts.

According to the Directorate of Public Relations (DPR) of the Royal Nepalese Army, three Maoists were killed after the security forces retaliated an attack by the rebels at Chichire area of Sankhuwasabha district Friday afternoon.

One INSAS rifle, four magazines and 200 bullets, two LSW magazines, 19 socket bombs, three pressure cooker bombs and two detonators were recovered from the incident site.

Meanwhile, one security person was killed in an explosion of IED (Improvised Explosive Device) carried out by the Maoists at Jalkeni area of Sindhupalchowk this afternoon. A security troop was patrolling in the area when the explosion occurred, a DPR statement said.