Rebels ambushed a police truck with a bomb and gunfire Saturday, also hitting a nearby passenger bus in an attack that killed 14 policemen and four civilians, including at least one child. At least 27 people were wounded in the attack in the village of Dhankhola, about 250 miles southwest of Nepal's capital, Katmandu. The police truck was on patrol when it hit a mine in the road, and the rebels opened fire, police officials said. Surviving police fired back. A passenger bus traveling right behind the police vehicle was caught in the crossfire, and at least four civilians were killed, police said. The battle lasted for about two hours before reinforcements reached the area. The rebels fled after government soldiers fired from army helicopters.
| Not quite willing to stand up in a fair fight. |
Police and hospital officials said 14 civilians and 13 police were wounded in the attack. Most were taken to a hospital in Nepalgunj, the nearest big town in the area. Doctors said most of those hospitalized have bullet wounds.
| "Brilliant, Dr. Quincy, brilliant!" |
"I saw some people with guns on the hills and yelled at the driver but the explosion hit the police truck, and the rebels began firing indiscriminately. Many passengers were hit," Ramesh Shah, a wounded passenger, told The Associated Press from his hospital bed. It wasn't immediately clear if there were any rebel causalities. Army troops have sealed the highway and were milling around ineffectually as usual hunting for the attackers in the surrounding jungles. |