Kathmandu: Launching a major operation against Maoists, government troops gunned down 50 rebels overnight in a cross-firing, which also left six security personnel dead in South Western Nepal even as 16 more guerrillas were killed in separate encounters in the kingdom.

The 50 rebels were killed by a joint team of security forces at Pandong area of Kailali district, 500 km west of Kathmandu, as the troops launched an operation against Maoists in their training centre at the district, state-run Radio Nepal reported quoting security sources.

Some of the bodies of rebels were carried away by Maoists, the radio said.

Sources at Army Headquarters said four policemen and two armed forces personnel were also killed while 10 other security men were injured in the clash, which started last night and continued till this morning.

They said 15 bodies of the rebels have been recovered from the site.

Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry said that 16 Maoist rebels were killed elsewhere in separate encounters with the security forces.

Six rebels were killed in Palpa district, four in Solukhumbu district, three in Arghakhachi district, two in Rukum and one in Udaypur district, the Defence Ministry said.

PTI