Nepal army kills 22 Maoists, rebel blockade begins

Nepali soldiers killed 22 Maoist rebels in a fierce gun battle in the west of the country yesterday, the army said, as a partial blockade of Kathmandu by the rebels reduced traffic to a trickle on two key highways. Rebel violence has spiralled in the...

Nepali soldiers killed 22 Maoist rebels in a fierce gun battle in the west of the country yesterday, the army said, as a partial blockade of Kathmandu by the rebels reduced traffic to a trickle on two key highways.

Rebel violence has spiralled in the Himalayan country ahead of a January 13 government deadline for the insurgents to join peace talks. More than 80 people, about half of them soldiers, had been killed in the week before yesterday's attack.

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