Fresh violence hits Nepal

The mountain kingdom destination of Nepal has once again been thrown into turmoil with the news that Maoist rebels have killed 29 police officers and soldiers in a brutal attack. The BBC News website reports that the attack, which took place in Bhojpur, some 300 miles east of the capital Kathmandu, is the most serious since peace talks broke down in August. Some 9,000 people have died in the Maoist uprising. The website reports that hundreds of rebels were involved in the attack, during which they destroyed a telephone tower and cut communications with the rest of the country, and then fled when further armed forces arrived. The Maoists have recently detonated bombs in Kathmandu and have called for general strikes around the country; even so, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) still does not advise against travel to the country. The FCO website, at www.fco.gov.uk/travel, states: “You should be aware of the risk of indiscriminate attacks by terrorists in public places, including tourist sites. You should also take particular care to respect any local curfews. “A bandh (strike) has been called for 8 March. Travellers to Nepal are likely to experience difficulty in moving by road during bandhs but domestic flights remain unaffected. The majority of shops and businesses will close during this period, although hotels and guesthouses continue to operate as normal.” US citizens are being advised to defer all non-essential travel to Nepal. Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad