KATHMANDU, April 7, (AFP): At least one person was hurt in a bomb attack near the United Nations mission in Kathmandu on Monday, the latest in a string of blasts nationwide ahead of landmark polls this week, police said.
“A minor bomb has exploded in New Baneshwor (a market area in Kathmandu), injuring one person. The bomb went off close to the United Nations Mission in Nepal office,” said a local police officer.
Scores of small bomb attacks have been reported across the country in the past two weeks ahead of Thursday's polls.
The polls will elect an assembly that will rewrite the constitution and is expected to abolish the monarchy in Nepal.
Analysts say the attacks are an attempt by groups opposed to the elections to intimidate voters.
Earlier on Monday, the United Nations appealed to former Maoist rebels and other parties to halt violence to ensure fair voting.
“Intimidation of voters must stop” and the election must be “violence-free,” Kieran Dwyer, spokesman of the UN peace mission to Nepal, said.
The UN had said the run-up to elections in the country of 27 million people had been marred by violence by Maoists while some analysts say supporters of the monarchy have also attempted to disrupt the polls.
A peace deal reached between the ultra-leftists and mainstream parties in late 2006 ended a civil war aimed at toppling the monarchy that claimed at least 13,000 lives.
The peace deal came after King Gyanendra was forced to end a period of direct rule in the face of mass protests by the Maoists and the parties.


Tags: Nepal,Maoists