Kathmandu: At least 27 Maoist guerrillas have been killed in aerial and ground offensives launched by security forces in Western Nepal, reports said on July 3.

"At least 27 Maoists are learnt to have been killed when security forces on June 30 made aerial and ground attacks against several Maoist training centres in several areas in the dang district in the past couple of days," said the Nepali language daily, 'The Evening Commander'.

The newspaper said security forces using helicopters attacked the Bankuti, Subaila, Jogikuti and Khagra regions of Dang, 355 kilometres West of Kathmandu, after receiving a tip off that there were rebel training camps in the area.

Other local reports said the Maoist casualty figure could be much higher.

More than 4,300 people have died since the Maoists launched their "people's war" in 1996 to topple constitutional monarchy and establish a communist state, according to the official count.