KATHMANDU, Jan 12: At least 13 people were killed in a series of bloody clashes on Sunday marking the latest violence of a long-running Maoist insurgency in Nepal, an army official said.

Six pro-Maoist student activists and six rebels were killed in gun battles with security forces who seized explosives, arms and ammunition after the clashes in east, south east and western Nepal.

A soldier was killed and another injured when rebels attacked a security unit trying to set up a mobile health and administrative camp in Baglung district.Maoists have been waging a deadly battle since 1996 to overthrow the monarchy.-AFP