Tuesday, August 9 2005 22:05 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: Forty-one security personnel, including a Lieutenant, were killed by Maoists after capturing them following one of the deadliest clashes in north-western Nepal, the Army said today (Aug 9, 2005).

Out of 227 soldiers posted at the clash site in Kalikot district, about 600 km northwest of here, 41 were killed, three injured and 72 were unaccounted for. One hundred and eleven had established contact with the Army Headquarters, the Army said.

The rebels tortured a Lieutenant before murdering him following his capture, it said.

Another 40 captured soldiers were lined up and shot dead on their head one-by-one by the rebels, the Army said, adding some of them had their heads slit.

The Army has recovered bodies of the 41 soldiers killed by the rebels.

Over 1,000-armed rebels had attacked the army base in Kalikot district on Sunday. The clash continued till yesterday.

Additional security forces have been sent to the area and a massive search operation was being carried out with the aerial backing to locate the missing soldiers.

Issuing a statement for press through e-mail, Maoists' western division commander Prabhakar said 26 rebels died in the clash and claimed that 159 security-men were also killed and 50 abducted.

The Army rejected his claim that 159 soldiers were killed.