KATHMANDU, April 3: Hundreds of vehicles finally got on the road under tight security late on Sunday after a Maoist rebel blockade paralyzed the main entry point to Nepal’s capital, a police source said.0 Troops and police were escorting truck and bus convoys to and from the capital to guard against attacks from the rebels, who are fighting to topple the monarchy and set up a communist republic in an insurgency that has claimed 11,000 lives so far.

A bottleneck of at least 500 vehicles at Nagdhunga, Kathmandu’s main checkpoint 14 kilometres south of here, finally opened up late on Sunday.

“More than 500 vehicles were escorted out of Nagdhunga by security personnel Sunday afternoon,” the police source said.

“Army picketing has begun and has mobilized to sensitive areas along the highways. We have not received reports of any ugly incidents on the highways,” police said.

Maoist rebels called the 11-day blockade starting on Saturday in an attempt to cut off the capital from supplies of food and fuel, increasing the pressure on King Gyanendra.

The rebels have called frequent strikes and blockades since the king sacked a four-party coalition government and assumed power February 1.

—AFP