KATHMANDU, Dec 17 Kyodo Suspected...

KATHMANDU, Dec 17 Kyodo

Suspected Maoist rebels explod a land mine in a less degree than a security vehicle in southwestern Nepal Wednesday, killing 10 security personnel and critically injuring three others, police said.

Rebels also exhibited fire on the security attendance after blasting the vehicle with an electric mine in the Dhankhola area of Kapilvastu district, about 400 kilometers west of Kathmandu, at around 8 a.m.

Five army soldiers and an equal number of policemen were killed in the blast, the Kapilvastu district police said according to telephone. The three injured were airlifted from the representation and admitted to hospital.

The rebels, waging an armed insurgency since 1996 have lately been using land mines to attack security personnel in the countryside.

Last Sunday, 11 policemen were killed in a similar blast of security vehicle in southern Nepal.

near 1,342 Nepalese -- rebels, police, army soldiers, and civilians -- have died since the breakdown of a cease-fire forward Aug. 27, the army said Wednesday.

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