US embassy cable - 03KATHMANDU1727

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001727 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SA/INS, S/CT, AND DS 
ISLAMABAD FOR AMBASSADOR POWELL 
LONDON FOR POL/GURNEY 
NSC FOR MILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2013 
TAGS: PTER, PGOV, NP, Maoist Insurgency 
SUBJECT: NEPAL:  MAOISTS ATTEMPT TO KILL BRIGADIER GENERAL, 
NARROWLY MISS 
 
REF: KATHMANDU 567 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Michael E. Malinowski for reasons 1.5 (b) and 
 (d). 
 
1.  (SBU) At 14:30 on August 4, Maoists attempted to kill 
Fifth Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Gaurav SJB Rana, 
while in a vehicle convoy driving from his command 
headquarters in Dipayal, Doti (in Nepal's Far-West 
Development Region) south to Dhanghadi.  Two pipe bombs were 
used in the attack.  The devices were set back ten-feet from 
the road with the first charge placed four-feet off the 
ground and the second placed two-feet off the ground.  The 
first charge detonated after the lead car in the 
three-vehicle convoy had passed, while the second explosive 
misfired.  Rana, in the second vehicle, survived when he 
swerved away from the first explosion.  Rana's escorts opened 
fire on a Maoist position above the ambush site, causing the 
group there to flee.  His vehicle was damaged, but no 
personnel were injured. 
 
3.  (SBU) Rana, in a phone call to the Ambassador September 
5, commented that his ears were still ringing from the 
explosion.  He credits his escape with the failure of the 
second charge to detonate, his quick reaction shielded his 
vehicle from the blast which mostly passed overhead, and the 
immediate return fire of his staff officer.  A Maoist firing 
position located forty feet above the road among rocks and 
trees was well selected.  Upon inspection, it appeared that 
the attackers had been in position for several days, placing 
pine needles on the ground to keep them out of the mud.  Rana 
believes that the poor quality of the explosives led to the 
failure of the second charge to fire.  He thought that no 
more than three Maoists were involved in the attack. 
According to Rana, the location has a history of ambushes due 
to the terrain.  He continued that these ambushes also took 
place before the break in the cease-fire. 
 
3.  (C) Comment:  The Ambassador and DATT visited Rana at his 
command March 23-25 to inspect a JCET exercise on 
counterinsurgency.  Rana is a dedicated U.S.-trained officer 
(he is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and Staff College 
at Fort Leavenworth), he is an old and close friend of the 
Ambassador, and his traditionally influential family has been 
most valuable contacts of the Embassy for many years.  (He is 
the son of the late General Adyt and Sunita Rana.)  Had the 
attack succeeded, Rana would have been the highest ranking 
officer in the Royal Nepal Army killed since the beginning of 
the insurgency. 
MALINOWSKI