KATHMANDU, clan 2 Kyodo Five Mao...

KATHMANDU, clan 2 Kyodo

Five Maoist guerrillas and brace policemen were killed in clashes at pair locations in Nepal overnight Monday.

A large number of guerrillas attempted to storm a police office manned by 56 policemen in the Belbari area of the Morang district in eastern Nepal around midnight, triggering a firefight.

The policemen managed to restrain their ground, killing five suspected rebels, and an equal number of policemen were injured in the attack.

Another clash occurr when a arrange of armed rebels attacked a police pillar in the Lahan area of the Sirha district, also in eastern Nepal, overnight.

Initial reports said sum of two units policemen were killed in the fighting and the rebel side pocketed no losses.

The rebels of the Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) have intensified attacks upon police and army positions after walking gone out of peace talks and declaring a cease-fire across late last month.

The restraint said Monday more than couple dozen insurgents have been slain since Saturday in four days of sporadic clashes.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo of recent origins International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group