The United States Monday asked Maoists fighting for a communist state in Nepal to lay down their arms and pursue peace talks with the government, an official American government statement said.

The appeal comes after the extreme communists launched a fresh wave of violence Friday in which rebels targeted the army for the first time in six years. “The Government of the United States of America condemns recent Maoist attacks, and we
call upon the Nepal Communist Party (Maoists) activists to lay down their arms and pursue their goals peacefully, within the democratic framework established by Nepal’s constitution.”

“We support the Government of Nepal’s efforts within the constitution to protect its citizens and officials,” the statement released by the U.S. embassy said.

For the first time, Maoists in a change of tactics have decided to target the army. The firm American government support for Nepal comes after the kingdom joined a U.S.-led coalition to fight terrorism following the September 11 terror attacks against targets in New York and Washington killing several thousand.