Fifteen more policemen were killed overnight in Bajura district 480 kms northwest of the capital, one was injured and three others are missing in continuing Maoist attacks against police posts, a Home Ministry official said Monday. Thirty-four others at the outpost at Pandusen survived a three-hour assault that began at 11 PM.
Rebel casualties were not immediately available. Immediately after the reports of the rebel attack trickled into the capital, newly installed Prime Minister Sher Bhadur Deuba asked the Maoists to stop hostilities to create a conducive atmosphere for talks to end the communist insurgency that has claimed more than 1,800 lives in nearly six years.
The Maoist attack came barely six hour after Deuba was elected head of government to succeed Girija Prasad Koirala. Deuba said his first priority is to end the insurgency. The fresh attack came even after releases of more than 30 abducted policemen by Maoists.
Deuba is expected to be sworn in as prime minister coinciding with the announcement of a new government. Deuba has directly negotiated with the rebels in the past and prepared a report to end Nepal’s worst internal conflict.