Maoist rebels in Nepal kill six police, soldiers in ambush

KATHMANDU, Apr 5 (Reuters) Maoist rebels killed six soldiers and policemen in an ambush in east Nepal today, an official said, a day ahead of a planned nationwide strike by political parties against King Gyanendra.

''The troops were escorting question papers for the school leaving certificate examinations when they were ambushed,'' Jhapa's district administrator Bhola Shiwakoti said.

The attack took place at Durgapur in Jhapa district, a Maoist stronghold 700 km east of Kathmandu.

On Monday, the Maoists declared a unilateral truce in Kathmandu Valley to allow for greater participation in pro-democracy protests planned later this week by the country's main political parties.

But the Maoists said they would not stop attacks in other parts of the landlocked Himalayan nation.

The rebels, who want to set up a communist republic, entered a loose alliance with the main political parties last November to work together against the absolute rule of the king.

King Gyanendra seized power early last year and justified his move saying he had to act to crush the Maoist revolt that has killed more than 13,000 people since 1996.

REUTERS SI SP1136