Nepal premier appeals to rebels

The rebels have stepped up their campaign

Nepal's new prime minister, Sher Bahadur Deuba, has called on Maoist rebels to end their campaign of violence.

I appeal to the Maoist leaders to stop all their activities to create an atmosphere of confidence for talks

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba

The appeal on state-run TV came a day after the rebels killed at least 17 policemen at a police station in Bajura district - the prime minister's home district - 600 km (370 miles) north-west of the capital Kathmandu.

More than 1,500 people have been killed since 1996, when Maoist guerrillas began their violent campaign to replace Nepal's constitutional monarchy with a communist republic.

Top priority

Mr Deuba was chosen as leader by the ruling Nepali Congress party on Sunday.

He has said his top priority will be to end the rebels' six-year-old insurrection, and has offered to hold talks with them.

Mr Koirala was pressed to step down

The new prime minister held initial meetings with some rebel leaders last year, but blamed the government for failing to respond to their offer of peace talks.

The outgoing prime minister, Girija Prasad Koirala, was subjected to intense criticism over his handling of the rebel uprising and the aftermath of the royal massacre of 1 June.

He was responsible for royal palace affairs when King Birendra and nine of his family member were shot dead in their palace, sparking a new period of instability in the Himalayan mountain kingdom.

Campaign intensifies

The rebels have stepped up their campaign in the aftermath of the massacre, which they have blamed on new King Gyanendra.

Some 60 policemen are still held hostage

They have dubbed the new monarch a "puppet of India and America's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)".

The latest attack follows the release of 15 policemen being held hostage by the rebels on Saturday in an apparent goodwill gesture.

Another 59 policemen remain in captivity after being seized in a rebel attack on a police station in Nuwa village in Rolpa district, 350 kilometres (220 miles) west of Kathmandu more than a week ago.