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CNN Live At Daybreak

At Least 170 Dead in Nepal After Maoist Rebel Attack

Aired February 18, 2002 - 05:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In western Nepal, the government is counting the victims of a weekend attack by Maoist rebels. At least 130 police and troops were killed in the weekend raid, and officials say at least 40 rebels died. When the battle ended, the rebels had freed jailed Maoist prisoners and looted a local bank.

Okay, more now from Nepal, where that rebel attack was the deadliest yet in the six year Maoist insurgency. The Maoist rebels want to replace Nepal's constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy with a communist republic. The raid was on the government headquarters in Mangalsen in the western district of Achham. The battle lasted for four hours.

Our Satinder Bindra joins us by video phone from Katmandu with the latest -- good morning.

SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

This attack has set off a political crisis here in Nepal, with several parties now demanding the resignation of the Nepalese prime minister, Mr. Sher Bahadur Deuba. In the past, Carol, Mr. Deuba has adopted a very tough line, a very hard line against rebels. So this attack is being interpreted by analysts as a setback both for him and his government.

His government, for its part, is appealing to all political parties for unity. It's saying all political parties must stand together in this hour of crisis to fight what it calls terrorism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAM SHARAN MAHAT, NEPAL FINANCE MINISTER: It happens in a struggle in a time of war against terrorism, such ups and downs take place. But you don't change your leader or you don't change your leaders every time there is a setback.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BINDRA: So clearly the Nepalese government here, Carol, in a state of introspection. It's reevaluating its security policies. But in the meantime, the Nepalese government says it's also rushing forces into western Nepal, where you mentioned just on the weekend more than 130 people were killed by rebels. We are being informed here in Katmandu, where I am, that most of the people killed there were police officers and security personnel.

Rebel forces, we are being told, attacked late in the night. They were armed with very sophisticated weaponry which they had seized, say police, from security personnel in earlier raids. Now these rebel forces torched several government buildings. They even killed district officials. They raided a bank. They even busted into a jail and released several Maoist sympathizers.

Now, clearly the government has taken a very serious note of this. And this insurgency, I should add, has been going on for about six years. In this insurgency so far, Carol, some two and a half thousand people already have been killed and so far, at least, there's no sign of any peace.

Now back to you.

COSTELLO: All right, Satinder Bindra reporting live from Katmandu in Nepal this morning. Thank you.

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