Nepal Maoists kill police

By Sushil Sharma in Kathmandu

Officials in Nepal say nine policemen have been killed and 19 wounded in two separate clashes with Maoist rebels in the west of the country.

The clashes came a day after five Maoist rebels were killed in fierce fighting with the police.

Reports of an increase in violence have come on the eve of a nation-wide strike called by the rebels.

So far there has been no details of rebel casualties in these two latest incidents, but official confirmation of police fatalities shows the Maoist rebels have stepped up their campaign.

The Maoists want a communist republic

Five policemen were killed, and 19 injured when rebels attacked a police post in the remote hill district of Rukum.

Four other policemen were killed in the neighbouring district of Pyuthan while fighting with rebels.

Strike call

The violence has flared ahead of Thursday's strike called by the rebels to protest against what they describe as extreme police repression.

The general secretary of the underground Maoist Communist Party, Prachanda, has demanded that detained Maoist activists be released and that information be given about those who have allegedly disappeared in police custody.

Amid fears of a further surge in Maoist related violence, security has been tightened across the country.

Thousands of extra police officers have been deployed and armed police are guarding key government offices and business centres.

More than 1,200 people have died since the Maoist insurgency began four years ago.

The rebels want to overthrow Nepal's constitutional monarchy and replace it with a Maoist republic.