Recent Army Successes Against Maoists

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 001507

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE PASS USAID/DCHA/OFDA
LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL
MANILA FOR OFDA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER ASEC CASC PINR NP
SUBJECT: Recent Army Successes Against Maoists

REF: A) Kathmandu 1371, B) Kathmandu 964 and previous


1. (SBU) Summary. Fifteen Maoists were killed in Dolakha
district August 3 after security forces, acting on a tip,
intercepted them making the rounds of a bazaar to collect
"donations," a Home Ministry official confirmed. Twelve
others were killed August 1 after authorities learned of
their plan to destroy a telecommunications repeater tower
in a remote area of Dang district. End Summary.

Army Shuts Down Maoists on Extortion Rounds
--------------


2. (SBU) Fifteen Maoists were killed when security forces
clashed with a group of Nepalese Maoists in Dolakha
district, about 60 miles northeast of Kathmandu, during
the early morning hours of August 3, the district's Chief
District Officer (CDO) confirmed to Post. One Royal
Nepalese Army (RNA) soldier was wounded. Acting on a tip,
security forces confronted the group of fifteen near
Katakuti village as they were making their regular rounds
of the market to extort "donations." One of the dead
Maoists was reportedly an area commander, a female who
went by the name "Chetna."

Maoist Attack on Telecom Repeater Foiled
--------------


3. (SBU) Also acting on a tip, security forces on August 1
foiled an attempt by another group of fifteen Maoists to
destroy a telephone repeater tower in a jungle area of
Dang district, about 175 miles west of the capital, Dang's
CDO confirmed. Twelve Maoists were killed in the
encounter and explosives were recovered from the scene.


4. (SBU) Comment: The Maoists staged a sustained campaign
of attacks on Nepal's infrastructure in April and May (Ref
B),but such actions earned them the animus of many
villagers--not to mention a lot of bad press--and they
have since tapered off. The security forces' success in
these incidents suggests that the Maoists have found it
increasingly difficult to engage in the types of attacks
they formerly committed with impunity (Ref A). Moreover,
the security forces seem to have improved their ability to
gather information about Maoist movements and put it to
good use. End Comment.

BOGGS