Wednesday, May 18 2005 12:31 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: At least 50 maoist rebels were killed in a fierce gun battle with security forces at Taple area of eastern Nepal's Udaypur district, local security sources said.

The rebels were killed during extensive search operations yesterday (May 17, 2005), launched after the security forces lost eight soldiers and a policeman in a maoist attack on Monday (May 16, 2005).

Quoting security sources, State-run 'Gorkhapatra' daily said the Army launched the offensive with the backing of aerial attack in the area.

However, so far only eight bodies of the maoists were recovered from the area, Army Headquarters sources said today (May 18, 2005).

Troops have also recovered one Insas rifle, three 303 rifles and seven magazines from the clash site.

Meanwhile, the Royal Nepal Army issued a notice warning the public against looters who were going around in the guise of security forces and were raiding private houses.

Warning that such tendencies were on the rise in capital Kathmandu, the Army cautioned the citizens not to allow any suspicious people to enter their house without verifying their identity cards.

A few days ago, the Army had arrested seven people from Kathmandu for allegedly extorting money from several persons in the guise of maoist rebels.