At least 37 soldiers, policemen and two civilians were killed in Maoist attacks in Syangjha and Dang districts overnight and 60 security personnel were injured in daring rebel attacks following a break in a four month truce to end a six year insurgency that has claimed more than 1900 lives, Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka said Saturday.

Seventy to 80 Maoists may have also been killed in gun battles in the two districts that lasted for more than three hours, Khadka said. Of the 37 security personnel, 14 policemen at Syangja, 9 policemen and 14 army personnel including a Major in Dang were killed. The civilians were also killed in Dang.

38 soldiers were injured, a dozen seriously, in an attack on an army barrack in Ghorai 360kms west of the capital, officials said. Rebels captured 99 SLRs from the soldiers, Khadka told reporters outside the official residence of the Prime Minister in Baluawatar.

For the first time sophisticated army weapons have been captured by the rebels and will increase their firepower; rebels were equipped mostly with captured 303 rifles from the police.

An emergency all party meeting in being held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba Saturday at his residence as he earlier briefed King Gyanendra on the fresh outbreak of violence in the country after a four month hiatus.

The meeting is discussing future alternatives to contain the rebels, sources close to the talks said.

The cabinet and security officials also met during the day to discuss latest developments.

Maoists attacked government offices, police outposts, looted banks in more than 20 of the kingdom’s 75 administrative districts causing widespread devastation overnight and Saturday, compiled reports said.

They looted at least Rs.210 million is cash and kind from banks and financial institutions in Syangjha and Doti.

“The government is awaiting instructions from the party. We will act sternly. We are considering declaring them terrorists,” Khadka told
reporters as the all party continued meeting continues.

They also robbed banks in Syangja, Dang, Rolpa and Ramechhap and decamped with hundreds of millions rupees. The situation in Ramechhap is still not known as communication has been cut off with Ramechhap.

Maoists are also reported to have abducted several policemen and army personnel but the number of abducted people could not ascertained. Incidents of bombing and firing have been reported from more than 50 districts of the Kingdom. Maoist strongman Prachanda issued a press statement Saturday evening defending the attacks.

Property worth over 300 million rupees was destroyed in the attack. President of the party and former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has cancelled a scheduled public meeting in Rajbiraj Monday, the party announced. Koirala is drumming up a coalition against the Maoists.