Sunday, February 26 2006 13:37 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: Stepping up their offensive, Maoists in Nepal attacked a security post at a domestic airport killing a policeman and triggered an explosion in the famoustourist spot of Pokhara injuring six people, including two children, officials said today (Feb 26,2006).

The rebels also killed a civilian kidnapped by them earlier this month, set afire an oil tanker and looted nine other fuel tankers, they said.

Maoists yesterday attacked a security post guarding thelocal airport in Nepalgunj leading to a clash between the two sides, security sources said.

A policeman was killed in the clash which lasted for an hour, they said.

The Nepalgunj airport remained closed for hours due to the incident, resulting in suspension of several domestic flights.

In a separate incident, six people, including two children, were injured yesterday when Maoists hurled a bomb targeting a security personnel at a crowded market area in Pokhara along the Siddhartha highway, police said.

Also, the rebels killed the President of Jhapa district National Landless Settlers Public Concern, Narayan Kharel, who was kidnapped by them earlier this month, a Defence Ministry statement said.

Besides, the Maoists set afire an oil tanker belonging to the Melamchi Drinking Water Project. They also looted nine other oil tankers belonging to private dealers from Banke district on the Mahendra Highway yesterday, according to Army and Nepal Petroleum Dealers' Association (NPDA).

The NPDA sought help from human rights organisations in recovering their tankers and petroleum products worth Rs 60 lakh looted by the Maoists.