KATHMANDU, family 4 Kyodo At lea...

KATHMANDU, family 4 Kyodo

At least 12 Maoist rebels, sum of two units policemen and an army soldier were killed in separate clashes in Nepal onward Thursday, the government and media reports said.

direction troops on patrol encountered disposes of rebels of the Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) in four different districts, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Firefights ensu and 10 rebels were killed, the ministry said, adding that in at least pair cases the rebels were laying mines targeting patrols.

pair others rebels were killed while handling undressed bombs, it added.

The rebels also attacked a police station in the afternoon in Sarlahi district, about 80 kilometers southeast of the capital, killing sum of two units policemen. Another policeman was injured in the attack.

Also Thursday, common army soldier was gunned down as he carried on the outside a security check at a public park in Chitwan district in southern Nepal.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo stranges International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group