Nepali Maoists abduct 1,000 youths

The abductions occurred at the weekend when rebels went from village to village in the Achham district rounding up males and females aged between 15 and 25 years, a village development committee (VDC) chief said.

The youths have been taken to undisclosed rebel bases in remote parts of Achham and surrounding districts, he said.

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The captives have been divided into five platoons, each comprising 200 youths, who will be trained separately, said the chief, who did want to be identified.

A few weeks ago, Maoist rebels in the area had issued notices ordering youths to join the rebel army but none had complied willingly.

The human rights group the Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC) condemned the abductions and called on the rebels to release their captives immediately and abide by international human rights conventions.

Maoist rebels have been fighting since 1996 to overthrow the monarch and establish a communist republic. The insurgency has so far claimed more than 9,500 lives.

Meanwhile, China has agreed to assist the Royal Nepal Army fight Maoist rebels campaigning to overthrow the monarchy in the Himalayan kingdom, state radio and TV reported yesterday.

They quoted Nepal's Chief of Army Staff General Pyar Jung Thapa as saying on his return from a week-long goodwill visit to China that he and his Chinese counterparts had agreed to enhance security cooperation.

This would extend to the military campaign against Maoist rebels, who since 1996 have been waging a bloody rebellion aimed at installing a communist republic in Nepal, the general said.