Kathmandu: At least 27 people, including 23 rebels were killed in continued violence in Nepal, as the countrywide general strike called by the Maoists entered the second day on September 19.

Thirteen rebels were killed in a clash with security forces in Panchthar district on September 18, a Defence ministry spokesman said. Ten more were killed in Birpath village of Achham district, 650 km west of Kathmandu, in an operation launched by the security forces on September 18, Radio Nepal said.

The security forces did not suffer any loss during the fighting that continued for five hours, the report said.

In a separate incident, a policeman was killed in Shivagadi village of Kapilvastu district during cross firing between the rebels and the security forces today morning, the radio said.

It said two workers of ruling Rastriya Prajatantra Party were killed by suspected rebels on September 18, one each in Arghakhachi and Dhanusha districts.

The rebels also shot dead the former chairman of a village development committee in Saptari district on September 18 evening.

Meanwhile, life remained paralysed in the three districts of Kathmandu district because of the three-day Maoist strike but no major incidents of violence were reported. Major markets, schools and colleges remained closed and vehicles remained off the roads. However, some motorbikes and a few taxis plied in Kathmandu. PTI