KATHMANDU, Nov 1: Sixteen people, including thirteen Maoists and three security personnel, were killed in clashes across Nepal on Saturday and Friday night.

At least three members of the security forces were killed in a Maoist ambush explosion in Babhuwan Village of Bara district, southeast of the capital, early in the morning, police said.

“The explosion killed two soldiers and an Armed Police Force policeman,” police said.

Seven rebels, including a local commander, were killed in Kailali district, 380 kilometres west of Kathmandu.

“An armed Maoist group suddenly attacked a security patrol unit at Khairal village in Kailali district on Friday evening,” a police spokesman said.

Two other guerillas were killed on Friday at Sodasa in Achham district, 360 kilometres west of Kathmandu.

“A woman rebel was killed in clashes with security forces at Swachi, in Sankhuwasabha (to the east), on Saturday afternoon,” an army source said.

In another clash on Saturday at Forang village in Taplejung district, 340 kilometres northeast of Kathmandu, three rebels were killed.

On Friday the US State Department designated the rebels as a threat — which means any assets the Maoists may have in the US or under US jurisdiction would be frozen.

Immediately after the announcement, the US embassy in Kathmandu advised Americans in Nepal to keep a low profile and exercise special caution in the near future.—AFP