Weekend skirmishes killed 10 rebels and eight government officials as Nepal's  guerrillas stepped up attacks in the wake of failed peace talks.

The rebels attacked a police station Sunday and killed four policemen at Chapiya, a village about 190 miles west of the capital, Katmandu.

The guerrillas fled after stealing police guns and ammunition, an official said on condition of anonymity.

Rebels also attacked an army patrol and killed two soldiers Sunday at Surkhet, about 320 miles northwest of Katmandu. Ten rebels were killed in the gunfight that followed.

Two more policemen were killed elsewhere on Sunday in more rebel attacks.

The guerrillas also have robbed two banks, abducted half a dozen people and clashed with government forces in several places since the talks ended in a deadlock last week and rebels pulled out of a seven-month-old cease-fire on Wednesday.

The government officially labeled the rebels "terrorists" and ordered security forces to take action against them after they withdrew from the talks.

More than 7,000 people have died in the conflict. The rebels have been fighting since 1996 to abolish Nepal's constitutional monarchy and set up a communist state.

Close

Today's Top News		Top International News
+Commentary: Don't meddle with yuan ( 2003-09-02) +200,000 troops to be cut by 2005 ( 2003-09-02) +Beijing Games marketing plan launched ( 2003-09-02) +Flood forces 10,0000 to evacuate ( 2003-09-02) +Beijing courts announce 50 major changes ( 2003-09-02)		+Medical Marijuana sold in the Netherlands ( 2003-09-02) +Hamas militant killed in Israeli attack ( 2003-09-02) +'Saddam' tape urges attacks on Iraq's occupiers ( 2003-09-02) +Police charge 3 in two India bombings ( 2003-09-01) +Myanmar denies opposition leader staging hunger strike ( 2003-09-01)