15 policemen killed, 26 injured in Nepal blast

15 policemen killed, 26 injured in Nepal blast
AGENCIES

KATHMANDU, FEB 19: At least 15 police officers were killed and 26 others injured when armedMaoist guerrillas attacked a police check post in Western Nepal earlySaturday morning, a Home Ministry official said here.

"A large number of armed Maoists attacked a police post manned by 40policemen and killed 15 of them and injured 25 others," he said.

The attack took place at Gharti Gaon village in Rolpa district in WesternNepal, some 400 kms from Kathmandu.

Describing the attack as one of the fiercest in the five-year history of theMaoist insurgency, he said eight of the injured policemen had beentransported to Kathmandu by helicopter while others were treated atNepalgunj and Pokhara.

Those killed in the blast were specially trained police officers detailedfor counterinsurgency duties and were apparently sleeping when the blasttook place.

The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN) has waged a violent campaignagainst the government for the past five years which has seen more than1,000 civilians being killed over the period.