Military

DATE= 05/08/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE= NEPAL ATTACK / S-L COMBO

NUMBER=2-289555

BYLINE= JIM TEEPLE

DATELINE= KATHMANDU

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Maoist Rebels in Nepal have overrun a joint army-police base in

the western part of the country, reportedly killing more than 100

government troops. V-O-A's Jim Teeple has details from our South Asia

Bureau in New Delhi.

TEXT: Officials in Kathmandu say Maoists attacked a military base near

the village, Gam, in Nepal's far western Rolpa District -- about 450

kilometers west of Kathmandu. Forty soldiers and 60 policemen were

deployed at the base.

The Maoist attack follows the beginning of a government offensive against a mountain-top

Maoist base in another part of Rolpa District. It is the biggest

offensive by government troops so far in six year Maoist

insurgency. Authorities say they have killed more than 500 Maoists in

the operation, but the claim cannot be independently confirmed.

The increased fighting comes as Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur

Deuba is in Washington, for meetings with President Bush and other American officials. The Bush Administration has asked Congress to provide 20 million dollars in non-combat military aid to Nepal, to help fight the insurgency.

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A U-S military assessment team recently completed a visit to Nepal, conducting an in-depth review of the Nepalese military's capabilities.

More than four thousand people have died in the insurgency. More

than half of those casualties occurred in the last six months,

after the Maoists walked out of peace talks. Nepal's King Gyanendra then

authorized a state of emergency, allowing Nepal's Army to join police

in fighting the rebels.

Maoist leaders offered to renew peace talks last week, but the offer

was rejected by Prime Minister Deuba, who says the Maoists must surrender

their arms before any talks can begin. (Signed)

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