Wednesday, February 8 2006 10:31 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: Communist rebels bombed Government buildings in an eastern Nepal town and set the local education office and bank on fire hours before the start of nationwide municipal elections they pledged to disrupt, officials said today (Feb 8,2006).

Details were sketchy, and there were no immediate reports of casualties in the overnight assault on Dhankuta, about 400 kilometers east of the capital, Kathmandu.

The attack, which began late yesterday, left the local bank destroyed and several government buildings charred, said the chief Government official in the area, Sambhu Ghimire.

Ghimire said security forces reclaimed control of the area and were searching surrounding areas for the attackers.

Separately, the rebels bombed a polling booth at night in Jaleswor, about 300 kilometers southeast of Kathmandu.

The Maoist rebels have been fighting since 1996 for a socialist state, and have threatened anyone who takes part in the vote for mayors and local officials.

They have so far been blamed for killing of at least two candidates and attacking several others in the fist election Nepal has had in seven years.

The insurgency has claimed about 12,000 lives since it began a decade ago.

Just hours before the start of the local polls, Maoists intensified their attacks. Reports said the rebels bombed Government buildings in an eastern Nepal town of Dhankuta and set the local education office and bank on fire.

Separately, the rebels bombed a polling booth in Jaleswor, about 300 kms southeast of Kathmandu.

Yesterday the rebels launched a series of attacks. They struck at two places killing eight security personnel and losing four of their own cadres.

A Government circular yesterday asked civil servants to compulsorily cast their votes in the elections called by the King claiming that it is the first step towards resuming full-fledged democracy in the Himalayan Kingdom.

Home Minister Kamal Thapa told reporters yesterday that security forces have been instructed to shoot if there are any attempts to disrupt the polls or harm the voters.