The Nepali capital Kathmandu has reportedly been effectively cut off from the outside world by Maoist rebels who have blockaded the main routes in and out of the city.
According to a report in The Independent newspaper, tourists and travellers are stranded in the city, which has only enough food for the next 10 weeks. The newspaper reports that there is hardly any traffic on roads in and out of Kathmandu, with any vehicles being escorted by army convoys.
The Maoists have also made their presence felt in the centre of the city, bombing the Soaltee Crowne Plaza hotel after it defied orders by the Maoists to shut down. The Independent reports that, after it was “rocked by four blasts”, the hotel’s management decided to close it down.
The Maoists, who want to overthrow Nepal’s royal family, have been fighting their campaign since 1996, with nearly 10,000 lives lost in that time.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office website, at www.fco.gov.uk/travel, states: “There is a high threat of Maoist violence, including bombing and shooting, in public places and tourist areas throughout Nepal. Tourists and other visitors to Nepal risk being caught up in such violence.”
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad
