Kathmandu Valley under attack

Eleven policemen killed in Maoist attacks at Thankot and Dadhikot (news update 9:30 p. m.)

Latest reports say at least eleven policemen, including a police inspector, were killed during coordinated attacks by Maoist insurgents at Thankot police check post in the capital, Kathmandu, and Dadhikot police post in Bhaktapur district Saturday evening.

According to security sources, the rebels attacked the Thankot check post at around 5:40 p. m. They first exploded a bomb and later opened fire indiscriminately. Police inspector Mahesh Rawal, two sub-inspectors and seven policemen were killed in the attacks. Sub-insepctor Yadav KC is said to be in critical condition. Over 40 police personnel were stationed at the check post during the time of surprise Maoist raid.

At around 5:30 p. m., another group of rebels attacked a police post at Dadhikot in Bhaktapur district in the Kathmandu valley. A total of 17 policemen were stationed during the time of Maoist offensive, according to police sources. Sub-Inspector of Police, Hari Prasad Sharma Wagle was killed while seven more police personnel were injured. A civilian, Sangita Mahat, was also injured during the attack. Some policemen are reported mission after the Maoist offensive.

Officials are yet to provide details about the number of casualties in the latest attacks. A Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) official said RNA personnel have already reached Thankot and are conducting search operation. All the vehicular movement along the main entry point to Kathmandu have been stopped.

According to a Nepalnews correspondent who reached Thankot police post after the incident, Maoist rebels had arrived at the police post in a bus. They were in combat dress. It could not be known how could they cross another security post at Nagdhunga only a few kms away on their way to Thankot.

Thankot is the major overland entry point to Kathmandu.

Krishnasenonline, a pro-Maoist news agency, has owned responsibility of Saturday?s attacks at Thankot and Dadhikot and has claimed that there has been no casualty on the part of the rebels.

Suspected rebels have also caused explosion at the office of ward no. 9 of Lalitpur municipality this evening. There are also reports of explosions in some ward offices of Kathmandu metropolis.

Details are still awaited.

Saturday?s attacks are the first major attack by the rebels in the Kathmandu valley after they broke off their four-month-long unilateral ceasefire early this month. In December 2004, they had attacked a police post at Sankhu at the outskirts of Kathmandu killing four police personnel. nepalnews.com by Jan 14 06