Kathmandu: Stepping up attacks against government employees and property, Maoist insurgents killed 13 policemen and exploded two bombs in Kathmandu valley over the last two days, official reports said on October 13.

25 Maoists and 13 personnel of the Armed Police Force were killed in the late night attack on the Armed Police Force Training in Bhaluwang of Dang district, sources in the Police Headquarters in Kathmandu said.

A large number of Maoists armed with sophisticated weapons swooped on the training centre, 390 kms West of Kathmandu on October 12 and started firing from all sides. The gunbattle continued into the morning, sources said adding that the attackers fled after an aerial attack was launched on them by pressing two helicopters from Nepalgunj and Pokhara.

Another Defence ministry statement said 13 Maoists were killed in seven other gunbattles across the Kingdom in the last two days.

Maoists exploded a pressure cooker bomb in Bhaktapur's Chapaho area in Kathmandu valley early on October 13 morning. However, no one was injured in the explosion.

The rebels planted the bombs in a Madhyapur Thimi Municipality ward office by overpowering the guards, a police official said adding that a second bomb planted in another municipality was detected and defused in time.

The insurgents destroyed buildings of Village Development Committees in three places by exploding bombs. But there were no casualties, sources said.

The violence comes after the end of an eight-day truce called by the Maoists to mark Vijaydashmi festival.

PTI