Government security forces have barred human rights activists and journalists from visiting Pili, Kalikot district, where a deadly skirmish took place last week.

Informing that human rights observers and media persons have been barred from going to the area, an official with the Human Rights Life Line said, “We tried to call at the army’s mid-western division for permission to visit Pili but no officer was available on the telephone line”.

He claimed that the army headquarters in Kathmandu has prohibited rights groups and the media persons from visiting the area.

The army has claimed that the Maoists violated the Geneva Convention by brutally executing the army personnel after capturing them. The army headquarters had written to the human right groups last week requesting them to visit the clash site and also help release the army personnel captured by the Maoist rebels.

At least 43 army men and more than two dozen Maoists were killed in the overnight clash in Pili.