US embassy cable - 02KATHMANDU1507

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, Maoist Insurgency 
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 
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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 
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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. 
 
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