Army continues fight, police may have been overrun (8:15 am)

November 15, 2002
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The army continues to fight several hundred rebels who tried to overrun the headquarters of Jumla as fears mount that the armed and civilian police at Khalangha Bazzar may have been overrun, military sources told Nepalnews Friday.

“The army is in constant touch with us. But police have lost contact after the terrorists struck around 10.13 PM,” Army spokesman Col. Dipak Gurung said. Reinforcements have been sent to assist the army and police battling the rebels.

The army barracks lie strategically on top of the Valley while the police facilities are vulnerable in the Valley.

Jumla lies in the middle of the movement path north and west from the rebels strongholds in Rolpa, Rukum hit for the first time by artillery in Operation Gorkha-1 and Gorkha-2 in October to dislodge  them.

Night-vision helicopters from Nepalgunj intercepted to help the ground troops. The Maoists are believed to have attacked in massive numbers. Casualty figures were not immediately available.

Maoists attacked Khalangha Bazzar one day after a three-day national strike the rebels called to oppose King Gyanendra’s action to assume executive powers and sack Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on October 4.

The Maoists made a failed attack on Rumjatar airport in Okgaldunhka a few weeks back in which two soldiers were killed while rebels suffered at least 50 dead.

 

Rebel strongmen Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Dr. Baburam Bhattarai called for an interim government, election for a constituent assembly and a coalition of political forces to oppose the King’s October move.

 

King Gyanendra this week met CPN-UML leader K.P. Oli and president of  the Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala to resolve a political impasse after the unprecedented October 4 developments. The King’s meetings with other political leaders are expected to continue.

 

The second rebel attack after Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand assumed office one month ago comes even after offer for peace talks by the new government head to negotiate an end to a seven-year insurgency that has sapped the nation’s economy.

 

One human rights activist, Padma Ratna Tuladhar, said recently the Chand government lacks the legitimacy to negotiate a peace with the insurgents.