US embassy cable - 04KATHMANDU397

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000397 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SA/INS 
LONDON FOR POL/GURNEY 
NSC FOR MILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2014 
TAGS: PTER, NP, Maoist Insurgency 
SUBJECT: NEPAL:  MAOISTS LAUNCH MAJOR ATTACK AGAINST 
SECURITY FORCES IN EASTERN NEPAL 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Michael E. Malinowski for reasons 1.5 (B, D) 
 
1. (SBU)  SUMMARY.  At about 2200 hours on March 2, the 
Maoists launched their first large scale attack against 
security force personnel since the end of the cease-fire in 
August 2003.  The attack was focused on the district 
headquarters of Bhojpur District, located in the eastern 
hills of Nepal (approximately 300 miles east of Kathmandu). 
Details are still forthcoming; however, initial reports 
indicate that the Bhojpur District Administration Office 
(local government office), Nepal Commercial Bank and the 
repeater station tower of the Nepal Telecommunications 
Corporation were destroyed.  The destruction of the telephone 
repeater station has made communication with the area 
difficult. 
 
2.  (SBU)  At about 2200 hours on March 2, the Maoist 
launched their first large-scale attack against security 
force personnel since the end of the cease-fire on August 27, 
2003.  The attack lasted until about 0400 hours on March 3. 
According to military sources, about 700 Maoists staged an 
attack around the vicinity of Bhojpur, located in the eastern 
hills (approximately 300 miles east of Kathmandu).  Initial 
news reports indicated that the Bhojpur District 
Administration Office (the local government office), Nepal 
Commercial Bank and the repeater station of the Nepal 
Telecommunication Corporation were destroyed. 
 
4.  (C) According to military sources, the Maoists were 
unsuccessful in looting the bank's deposits because the money 
is secured each evening on the army barracks.  Military 
sources stated that the attack concentrated on the police and 
army barracks, the bank and the telephone repeater station 
and that the Maoists completely destroyed the telephone 
repeater station and the bank during the attack.  The 
destruction of the telephone tower has inhibited the flow of 
information; over six hours after the attack, the details of 
the attack are still coming in.  A reliable source reported 
that he intercepted radio communications between "high-level 
Maoists commanders" this morning, which indicated that the 
Maoist leadership was putting strong emphasis on making the 
attack successful. 
 
5.  (C) Initial reports from military sources indicate that 
about 11 Royal Nepal Army personnel and 17 police personnel 
were killed in action and about 15 security personnel were 
critically wounded.  About 20 Maoists are believed to have 
been killed during the attack.  Sources also indicate that 
about 16-17 Indian Small Arms Systems (INSAS) assault rifles 
were taken by the Maoists.  Military sources also report that 
RNA Rangers reinforcements have been deployed to the area. 
 
6.  (C)  COMMENT.  The last Maoist attack of this scale on a 
district headquarters occurred in November 2002.  Initial 
reports from the attack appear to paint a large-scale, all 
out Maoist attempt to regain their momentum and refurbish 
their public image by proving they can still score a 
significant victory.  According to military and intelligence 
sources, this attack in the eastern region has been expected 
for about two weeks.  The Ambassador and Defense Attache will 
travel to the RNA Eastern Division Headquarters on March 4 
and will obtain additional details as they become available. 
 
MALINOWSKI